# NTSB NYC88IA109: Boeing 737, N69348, Morristown, NJ, March 19, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: March 18, 1988, 19:39 local (Mar 19, 1988, 00:39 UTC)
- Place: Morristown, NJ
- Location: 40.7966° N, 74.4773° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Morristown, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7966&lon=-74.4773&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 123 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 16, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36020
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88IA109
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36020/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88IA109

## Sequence of events

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

- Near collision between aircraft, climb - to cruise
  - monitoring - inadequate, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, climb - to cruise
  - monitoring - inadequate, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

BOEING 737 (N69348) WAS DEPG NEWARK INTL ARPT AS A LEAR JET 24 (N500NH) WAS DEPG FM TETERBORO. BOTH WERE BEING CTLD BY NEW YORK TRACON (NEWARK SECTOR). THE STRIP FOR THE 737 WAS MISMARKED AS A NORTH DEPARTURE RATHER THAN AN EAST DEPARTURE.THE INSTRUCTOR/FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL CONTROLLER (FPL CTLR) SAT AT THE RADAR SCOPE IN A PSN WHERE HE COULD NOT VERIFY THE MARKINGS ON STRIPS WHICH WERE BEING USED BY THE DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR. WHEN AN AUTOMATED HANDOFF WAS INITIATED TO THE WRONG SECTOR, BOTH NEWARK CTLRS DISCOVERED THE ERROR. THE DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR STARTED TO TAKE ACTION TO MAINT SEPARATION BETWEEN THE 737 & THE LEAR JET. HOWEVER, THE FPL CTLR TOOK CONTROL & THE REQUIRED IFR SEPARATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST. BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING ON IFR FLT PLANS IN VFR CONDITIONS. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY EITHER FLT CREW.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N69348](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N69348-2009-10-08), registration cancelled 2009-10-08, S/N 23586, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-3TO](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-3to) (registry code 138447G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23586
- Airframe hours: 2361
- Engines: GE CFM56-3-B1 14500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Continental Airlines
- Registered owner: Wilmington Trust
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: EWR, NEWARK, NJ
- Destination: BOS, BOSTON, MA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: N500NH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Gates Learjet 24E
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-355
- Engines: GE CJ-610-6 2850 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Haas-Foster Partners
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: TEB, TETERBORO, NJ
- Destination: UGN, WAUKEGAN, IL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N69348; age 44; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 13,000 total, 200 in this make and model, 7 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft N500NH; age 40; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 18,200 total, 8,300 in this make and model, 14,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

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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