# NTSB NYC87IA199: Douglas DC-10-30, Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), July 9, 1987

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: July 9, 1987, 11:21 local (15:21 UTC)
- Place: Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 202 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 1, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30531
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC87IA199
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30531/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC87IA199

## Sequence of events

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

- Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal
  - atc clearance - improper, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)
  - monitoring - improper, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal
  - atc clearance - improper, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)
  - monitoring - improper, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10 (VIASA FLT 800) & AN AIRBUS A310 (PAN AM FLT 221) WERE INVOLVED IN A NEAR COLLISION WHILE ON INTL FLTS OVR THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ON (AIRWAY) AMBER 300. BOTH ACFT WERE OPERG UNDER IFR & WERE IN A NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENTW/O DRCT RADIO CTC WITH AN ATC FACILITY. COMMUNICATION BTN THE ACFT & ATC WAS THRU ARINC, A COMMERCIAL COMPANY. WHILE SOUTHBOUND AT FL 370, FLT 221 MADE A REQ THRU ARINC TO CLIMB TO FL 390. WHEN THE CONTROLLER (CTLR) AT NEW YORK CENTER OCEANIC CTL RCVD THE REQ, HE COORDINATED WITH SAN JUAN ARTCC & SCANNER HIS BOARD, BUT SAW NO CONFLICTS & APPROVED THE REQ. AFTER LVLG AT FL 390, FLT 221 CONVERGED HEAD-ON WITH FLT 800 WHICH WAS NORTHBOUND AT THE SAME ALT. THE AIRCREW OF FLT 800 TOOK EVASIVE ACTN; THE CREW OF FLT 221 ELECTED NOT TO MNVR. THE CAPT OF FLT 800 SAID HE ESTD THE ACFT PASSED WITH 500' TO 1000' HRZNTL SEPN & 350' VRT SEPN. THE CTLR HAD JUST COME ON DUTY. AFTER FLT 800 HAD PREVIOUSLY PASSED A MANDATORY RPRTG POINT, ITS STRIP HAD BEEN REMOVED FM THE CTLR'S BOARD SINCE THE NEXT INTXN WAS A NON-RPRTG FIX.

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10 (VIASA FLT 800) & AN AIRBUS A310 (PAN AM FLT 221) WERE INVOLVED IN A NEAR COLLISION WHILE ON INTL FLTS OVR THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ON (AIRWAY) AMBER 300. BOTH ACFT WERE OPERG UNDER IFR & WERE IN A NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENTW/O DRCT RADIO CTC WITH AN ATC FACILITY. COMMUNICATION BTN THE ACFT & ATC WAS THRU ARINC, A COMMERCIAL COMPANY. WHILE SOUTHBOUND AT FL 370, FLT 221 MADE A REQ THRU ARINC TO CLIMB TO FL 390. WHEN THE CONTROLLER (CTLR) AT NEW YORK CENTER OCEANIC CTL RCVD THE REQ, HE COORDINATED WITH SAN JUAN ARTCC & SCANNED HIS BOARD, BUT SAW NO CONFLICTS & APPROVED THE REQ. AFTER LVLG AT FL 390, FLT 221 CONVERGED HEAD-ON WITH FLT 800 WHICH WAS NORTHBOUND AT THE SAME ALT. THE AIRCREW OF FLT 800 TOOK EVASIVE ACTN; THE CREW OF FLT 221 ELECTED NOT TO MNVR. THE CAPT OF FLT 800 SAID HE ESTD THE ACFT PASSED WITH 500' TO 1000' HRZNTL SEPN & 350' VRT SEPN. THE CTLR HAD JUST COME ON DUTY. AFTER FLT 800 HAD PREVIOUSLY PASSED A MANDATORY RPRTG POINT, ITS STRIP HAD BEEN REMOVED FM THE CTLR'S BOARD SINCE THE NEXT INTXN WAS A NON-RPRTG FIX.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: YV135 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DOUGLAS DC-10-30
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 46971
- Engines: GE CF6 51800 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Registered owner: Venezolana Internacional
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, July 1, 1987, 81 hours before
- Departed: SVMI, CRCS,VENEZUELA, OF
- Destination: JFK, JAMAICA, NY
- Flight plan: IFR

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: N804PA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie A-310-222 (A310-222)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 339
- Airframe hours: 4025
- Engines: P&W JT9D-7R4-600 48500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Pan American World Airways
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: JFK, JAMAICA, NY
- Destination: STT, ST THOMAS
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft 1; age 47; 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: 14,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft N804PA; age 47; 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: 8,500 total, 600 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command, 84 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 8 knots
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

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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