Narrative:An American Airlines DC-10 on a training flight had just performed a touch-and-go when the Delta DC-9 approached runway 13. The DC-9 suddenly began to roll when passing the runway threshold. The right wing struck the runway and the aircraft crashed in flames.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An encounter with a trailing vortex generated by a preceding "heavy" jet which resulted in an involuntary loss of control of the airplane during final approach. Although cautioned to expect turbulence the crew did not have sufficient information to evaluate accurately the hazard or the possible location of the vortex. Existing FAA procedures for controlling VFR flight did not provide the same protection from a vortex encounter as was provided to flights being given radar vectors in either IFR or VFR conditions."
Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 287 days (10 months) | Accident number: | NTSB/AAR-73-03 | Download report: | Final report
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Sources:
» NTSB-AAR-73-3
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 8 Safety Recommendations
Issued: 14-JUN-1972 | To: | A-72-76 |
REEVALUATE WAKE TURBULENCE SEPARATION CRITERIA FOR AIRCRAFT OPERATING BEHIND HEAVY JET AIRCRAFT. (Closed--No Longer Applicable) |
Issued: 14-JUN-1972 | To: | A-72-77 |
ISSUE ALERT NOTICES TO ALL PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT OPERATORS THAT WILL STRESS THE URGENT NEED TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE SEPARATION FROM HEAVY JET AIRCRAFT. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-213 |
REVISE APPROPRIATE PUBLICATIONS TO ASSURE THAT THEY DESCRIBE MORE SPECIFICALLY THE DESIRABLE AVOIDANCE TECHNIQUES (E.G., FOLLOWING AIRCRAFT MAINTAIN APPROACH PATH ABOVE VASI OR ILS GLIDE SLOPE, EXTENDING DOWNWIND LEG, ETC.). (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-214 |
DEFINE AND PUBLISH THE METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS WHICH CAUSE TRAILING VORTICES TO PERSIST IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-215 |
INCLUDE WAKE TURBULENCE WARNINGS ON THE ATIS BROADCASTS WHENEVER THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED IN RECOMMENDATION A-72-214 INDICATE THAT VORTICES WILL POSE AN UNUSUAL HAZARD TO OTHER AIRCRAFT. (Closed - Unacceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-216 |
DEVELOP, ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS, NEW ATC SEPARATION STANDARDS WHICH CONSIDER THE RELATIVE SPAN LOADINGS OF THE VORTEX-GENERATING AIRCRAFT AND THE FOLLOWING AIRCRAFT UNDER METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DEFINED AS BEING CONDUCIVE TO THE PERSISTENCE OF TRAILING VORTICES. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-217 |
PENDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STANDARDS REFERRED TO IN RECOMMENDATION 4, ABOVE, INSTRUCT CONTROLLERS TO INCREASE SEPARATION TIMES OF CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT TO AT LEAST 3 MINUTES WHENEVER THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DEFINED UNDER RECOMMENDATION 2, ABOVE, EXIST. (Closed - Unacceptable Action) |
Issued: 20-DEC-1972 | To: | A-72-218 |
DEVELOP METHODS FOR TOWER CONTROLLERS TO AID PILOTS OF FLIGHTS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SEPARATION TO AVOID WAKE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERS. SUCH METHODS MIGHT INCLUDE THE USE OF LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC LANDMARKS, RADAR OR TIME SEPARATION OVER FIXED POINTS. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
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Photos
accident date:
30-05-1972type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14
registration: N3305L
accident date:
30-05-1972type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14
registration: N3305L
Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.