McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 N413AA

Summary

On 9 October 1987 at about 19:05 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 registered N413AA, operated by American Airlines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Ontario, California, United States. 79 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 October 1987 at 19:05

Classification

Incident

Location

Ontario, California, United States

Nearest airport

Ontario (ONT)

Coordinates

34.0209, -117.5794

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82

Registration

N413AA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

American Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ontario → Dallas/Ft Worth

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88IA009

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. FACTURES CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE GENERAL AVIAITON AIRCRAFT TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC PRIOR TO ENTERING THE ARSA AND MAINTAINING A POOR LOOKOUT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE CLIMBING THRU 6,500 FEET MSL IN AN ARSA, THE FLT CREW OF THE AAL DC-9-82 OBSERVED A SMALL AIRCRAFT APPROACHING THEIR AIRCRAFT FROM DEAD AHEAD. THE SMALL AIRCRAFT WAS AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND APROX 1/4 MILE AHEAD OF THEIR POSITION. THE SMALL AIRCRAFT WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC AND CONTINUED ITS COLLISION COURSE TOWARDS THE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. THE DC-9-82 CREW INITIATED A RIGHT CLIMBING TURN AWAY FROM THE SMALL AIRCRAFT. THE CREW ESTIMATED THAT THE SMALL AIRCRAFT PASSED 50 FEET BELOW AND TO THE LEFT OF THEIR AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.