Status:	Definitief
Datum:	09 SEP 1969
Tijd:	15:29 EDT
Type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
Luchtvaartmaatschappij:	Allegheny Airlines
Registratie:	N988VJ
Constructienummer:	47211/357
Bouwjaar:	1968
Aantal vlieguren:	3170
Motoren:	2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7
Bemanning:	slachtoffers: 4 / inzittenden: 4
Passagiers:	slachtoffers: 78 / inzittenden: 78
Totaal:	slachtoffers: 82 / inzittenden: 82
Botsingsslachtoffers:	slachtoffers: 1
Schade:	Afgeschreven
Gevolgen:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Plaats:	Shelbyville, IN (Verenigde Staten)
Fase:	Kruisvlucht (ENR)
Soort vlucht:	Binnenlandse lijnvlucht
Vliegveld van vertrek:	Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY (CVG/KCVG), Verenigde Staten
Vliegveld van aankomst:	Indianapolis-Weir Cook Municipal Airport, IN (IND/KIND), Verenigde Staten
Vluchtnummer:	853

Beschrijving:
Flight 853 was descending from 6000 feet to 2500 feet when, at about 3550 feet, it collided with a Piper PA-28 aircraft (N7374J). The Piper was flown by a student pilot on a solo cross-country VFR flight. Visibility was 15 miles with intervening clouds.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The deficiencies in the collision avoidance capability of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system of the Federal Aviation Administration in a terminal area wherein there was mixed Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) traffic. The deficiencies included the inadequacy of the see-and-avoid concept under the circumstances of this case; the technical limitations of radar in detecting all aircraft; and the absence of Federal Aviation Regulations which would provide a system of adequate separation of mixed VFR and IFR traffic in terminal areas."

Bronnen:
» NTSB-AAR-70-15