Plane Crash List

Boeing 727-200A N728

22 March 1989 · San Antonio, Texas, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 22 March 1989 at about 00:29 local time, a Boeing 727-200A registered N728, operated by American Airlines, was involved in an incident near San Antonio, Texas, United States. 261 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:29
Classification
Incident
Location
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Boeing 727-200A
Registration
N728
Category
Airplane
Engines
3
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Dallas → Can Cun
Aircraft damage
Not recorded
Weather
Unk
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
DEN89IA089

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
261 0 0 0 261

Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE ARTCC CONTROLLER TO ASSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED IFR SEPARATION STANDARDS. THE CONTROLLER'S HEAVY WORKLOAD WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AMERICAN AIRLINE FLT 1269 & MEXICANA AIRLINE FLT 731 WERE CRUISING AT FL 290 ON SOUTHERLY HEADINGS. AFTER DEVIATING AROUND WEATHER, FLT 1269 WAS ON A SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT CONVERGED TO ABOUT 1.06 MI FROM EACH OTHER, VIOLATING THE MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION REQUIREMENT. THE OPERATIONAL ERROR OCCURRED WHEN THE ARTCC CONTROLLER WAS BUSY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Aircraft involved

Aircraft Registration Operator Damage
Boeing 727-200A 727-200A N728 American Airlines -
Boeing 727-200 727-200 XAMXE Mexicana Airlines -

Other Boeing 727 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Aug 1989 Boeing 727-224
N88709
Los Angeles, California, United States
no coordinates
Continental Airlines No injuries -
15 Dec 1989 Boeing 727
N64339
Ormond Beach, Florida, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
23 May 1989 Boeing 727-100
N97891
Guantanamo
no coordinates
Gulf Air Transport No injuries -
27 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-225B
N822EA
Miami, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Eastern Air Lines, Inc Fatal 1
14 Oct 1989 Boeing 727-232
N530DA
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - Minor injuries -
9 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-31
N727PJ
Newark, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 512 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
24 Apr 1989 Cessna 150
N63467
San Antonio, Texas, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
27 Apr 1989 Mooney M20J
N201TP
Jasper, Texas, United States Stratton, William A. Serious injuries -
6 Apr 1989 Beechcraft V35B
N17513
Lampasas, Texas, United States Phil P. O'neal Serious injuries -
20 May 1989 Piper PA-24-250
N5874P
Decatur, Texas, United States Frazier, David R. No injuries -
24 May 1989 Beechcraft A36TC
N6760C
Amarillo, Texas, United States
no coordinates
L.l.pownell No injuries -
30 May 1989 Piper PA-32R
N3279Q
Stratford, Texas, United States Sherman Implement Co. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States