- Date
- December 15, 1989, 10:23 local (15:23 UTC)
- Place
- Ormond Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 59 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 32575
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot in command in the Beech 300 to comply with an ATC clearance in a timely manner, while diverting his attention, and failure of the ATC controller to assure that IFR separation was maintained.
Failure of the pilot in command in the Beech 300 to comply with an ATC clearance in a timely manner, while diverting his attention, and failure of the ATC controller to assure that IFR separation was maintained.
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
An FAA Beech 300, call sign; flt check 72 (FLC72), was hdg se on J79 at FL260, while twa flt 393 was hdg south on J45 at FL310. Both had IFR clncs & were being ctld by the R58 ctld at jacksonville ARTCC. At that time, the ctlr was busy working a number of otr acft. FLC72 requested a dscnt, but the dscnt was delayed while the ctlr coordinated tfc with another ctlr. In the meantime, flt 393 was clrd to dscnd to FL240. Abt 90 sec ltr, FLC72 was told to fly a hdg of 195 deg & to dscnd & maint 16,000'. FLC72 acknowledged, but did not dscnd in a timely manner, nor did the ctlr note the anomaly. Subsequently, FLC72 & flt 393 converged to abt .8 mi mi horizontal sepn at the same alt. This occurred when the capt of FLC72 allowed the coplt to leave the cockpit & let another FAA employee occupy the coplt's seat. The capt rprtd that he may have become distracted while briefing the employee.
An FAA Beech 300, call sign: flt check 72 (FLC72), was hdg se on J79 at FL260, while twa flt 393 was hdg south on J45 at FL310. Both had IFR clncs & were being ctld by the R58 ctlr at jacksonville ARTCC. At that time, the ctlr was busy working a number of otr acft. FLC72 requested a dscnt, but the dscnt was delayed while the ctlr coordinated tfc with another ctlr. In the meantime, flt 393 was clrd to dscnd to FL240. Abt 90 sec ltr, FLC72 was told to fly a hdg of 195 deg & to dscnd & maint 16,000'. FLC72 acknowledged, but did not dscnd in a timely manner, nor did the ctlr note the anomaly. Subsequently, FLC72 & flt 393 converged to abt .8 mi horizontal sepn at the same alt. This occurred when the capt of FLC72 allowed the coplt to leave the cockpit & let another FAA employee occupy the coplt's seat. The capt rprtd that he may have become distracted while briefing the employee.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N64339
- Reported as
- Boeing 727
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20844
- Engine
- P&W JT8D, 15,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Trans World Airways
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- LGA · New York, NY
- Destination
- MCO · Orlando, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N72
- Reported as
- Beech 300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FF-7
- Engine
- P&W PT6A, 1,050 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Public use
- Registered owner
- Federal Aviation Admin.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FTY · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- X47 · Bunnell, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N64339
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N72
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRG, 13 nm away