# NTSB MIA89IA153: Boeing 727-100, N97891, Guantanamo, PR, May 23, 1989

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 23, 1989, 11:16 local (15:16 UTC)
- Place: Guantanamo, PR
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 132 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 26, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32331
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA89IA153
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32331/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA89IA153

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR A CROSSWIND CONDITION, AND FAILURE TO UTILIZE THE PROPER CROSSWIND LANDING TECHNIQUE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - compensation for wind conditions - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

THE FLIGHT CREW STATED THAT WHILE LANDING IN A 10 KNOT CROSSWIND, 50 DEGREES TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, THEY LANDED FIRMLY AND BOUNCED. DURING THE BOUNCE, THE WIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N97891 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-100
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20113
- Airframe hours: 44525
- Engines: P&W JT8D-78 14000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Gulf Air Transport, doing business as Gulf Air, Inc.
- Registered owner: Gulf Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, May 21, 1989, 22 hours before
- Departed: KNGU, NAS NORFOLK, VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MUGM, Nas Guantanamo, runway 10, 8,000 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 47; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 6,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 193 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: MUGM

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19890523034669I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890523034669I), May 23, 1989: Boeing 72731, Guantanamo Bay, CU, Minor damage. Tight turn to avoid cuban territory resulted in hard landing. Bounced and wing tip hit runway.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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