# NTSB NYC89IA063: McDonnell Douglas DC-10, N153AA, Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), December 30, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 30, 1988, 17:03 local (22:03 UTC)
- Place: Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 17 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36305
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC89IA063
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36305/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89IA063

## Sequence of events

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

- Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal
  - crew/group briefing - inadequate, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor)
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal
  - crew/group briefing - inadequate, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor)
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

AMERICAN FLT 1180 (MCDONNELL-DOUGLAS DC-10) WAS NORTHBOUND OVR THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AT FLT LVL 350 AS A BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE VICKERS VC10 WAS CRUISING EAST AT THE SAME ALT (NON-STANDARD ALT FOR THE VC10'S DRCTN OF FLT). THEY WERE IN A NON-RADAR AIRSPACE UNDER CTL OF NEW YORK ARTCC, USING NON-DIRECT RADIO COMM THRU ARINC. BOTH WERE IN VMC, ALTHOUGH OPERG UNDER IFR RULES. THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED AS THEY CROSSED OVR ELWOD INTXN. THE VC10 PASSED IN FRONT OF FLT 1180, FM LEFT TO RGT, WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED IFR SEPN. NEITHER FLT CREW SAW THE OTR ACFT UNTIL FLT 1180 FLEW THRU THE WAKE FM THE VC10. THE CREW OF FLT 1180 THEN SAW THE VC10 FLYING AWAY AT THE SAME ALT WHICH THEY ESTD WAS LESS THAN 1 MI AWAY. THE STRIP FOR THE VC10 WAS MARKED WITH A RED UNDERLINE & AN ARROW TO DEPICT ITS DRCTN OF FLT & NON-STANDARD ALT. THE CTLR SAID SHEWAS AWARE OF THE VC10, BUT DIDN'T SEE THE STRIP FOR FLT 1180 IN THE BAY FOR ELWOD INTXN. WHEN THE CTLR ASSUMED HER DUTY PSN, THE PREVIOUS CTLR TOLD HER THE VC10 WAS CLEAR (HAD NO CONFLICTING TRAFFIC) THRU STOCK, ELWOD & DEENO INTXNS.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: N153AA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas DC-10
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 46708
- Engines: GE CF6 41000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines
- Registered owner: American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: SJU, SAN JUAN, PR
- Destination: JFK, NEW YORK, NY
- Flight plan: IFR

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: UNK (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: VICKERS VC10
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: ROLLS-ROYCE MK 550 21800 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91
- Operator: Royal Air Force
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: MZBZ, BELIZE, OF
- Destination: TXKF, BERMUDA, OF
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N153AA; age 57; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left
- Pilot, aircraft 2; foreign, military; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: none

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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