- Date
- November 1, 1987, 17:12 local (22:12 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, NJ
- Injuries
- 226 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N806NYMcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82N577PEBoeing 727-243
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 32048
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At 1710:53 EST, the LCL twr ctlr (lc) at the Newark intl arpt clrd Continental flt 321 (DC-9-82, N806NY) for takeoff on rwy 22L; 11 sec later, Continental flt 688 (Boeing 727, N577PE) rprtd 'left downwind for rwy 29.' Lc told flt 688 to 'maintain 1500 as you cross over the field.' Rwy 22L (9300' long) was located south of rwy 29; thus, the left downwind for rwy 29 was nr the dep end of rwy 22L. At 1712:12, lc told flt 321 that flt 688 was passing 'overhead & behind you at 1800' . . .' At about that time, the crew of flt 321 noted they were clbg thru 1000' when they saw flt 688 passing directly overhead. The capt of flt 688 saw flt 321 taking off & estd the sepn remained in excess of 1000', but the capt of flt 321 was concerned about the close proximity & called the twr after lndg. Radar data showed the planes passed withaprx 400' vertical & 1000' lateral sepn, aprx 1/4 mi south of the arpt. Both flts were operg on IFR flt plans. Lc did not adz either flt crew of their traffic until 1712:12, moments bfr their flt paths crossed. The arpt had hvy traffic.
At 1710:53 EST, the LCL twr ctlr (lc) at the Newark intl arpt clrd Continental flt 321 (DC-9-82, N806NY) for takeoff on rwy 22L; 11 sec later, Continental flt 688 (Boeing 727, N577PE) rprtd 'left downwind for rwy 29.' Lc told flt 688 to 'maintain 1500 as you cross over the field.' Rwy 22L (9300' long) was located south of rwy 29; thus, the left downwind for rwy 29 was nr the dep end of the 22L. At 1712:12, lc told flt 321 that flt 688 was passing 'overhead & behind you at 1800' . . .' At about that time, the crew of flt 321 noted they were clbg thru 1000' when they saw flt 688 passing directly overhead. The capt of flt 688 saw flt 321 taking off & estd the sepn remained in excess of 1000', but the capt of flt 321 was concerned about the close proximity & called the twr after lndg. Radar data showed the planes passed withaprx 400' vertical & 1000' lateral sepn, aprx 1/4 mi south of the arpt. Both flts were operg on IFR flt plans. Lc did not adz either flt crew of their traffic until 1712:12, moments bfr their flt paths crossed. The arpt had hvy traffic.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N806NY
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49260
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-217, 20,850 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Continental Airlines
- Registered owner
- Newyork Airlines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Destination
- IAD · Washington, DC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- EWR · Newark Intl, runway 22L, 9,300 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Registration
- N577PE
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-243
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21270
- Engine
- P&W JT8D, 15,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Continental Airlines Inc.
- Registered owner
- Connecticut Nat'L Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SYR · Syracuse, NY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- EWR · Newark Intl, runway 29, 6,800 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N806NY
- Age
- 37
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N577PE
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,800 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EWK