TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BQARD - Hunt Library

1 TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BQARD AIRCRAFT' ACCIDENT REPORT PAN AMERJCBH WORLD AIRWAYS, INC., NEW ORLEAN ~~E~A~IONA~ AERWRT KENNER, LOUlSiANA JULY 9,1982 CLlPPER 759, BOEING 727-235, M737, NTSB/AAR-83/02 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT American World Airwe!%, Clipper 759, N4737, 'koeing 727- MWCh 21, 1983 235, New Orleans Intermtima1 Airmrt. Kenner. Organization Louisiam, July 9. 1982 ..~~ ~.. , .. ~.. I Code 7. Authorjs) Organization Report No. 3. Performing Organization Name and Address Unit No. I National Trwsportation SAFETY Board or Grant No.

2 Bureau of Accident Investigstion Wshington, 20594 cf Report and I Agency Name and Address Aircraft Accident Report 3581C 1 .- Period Covered July 9,1982 NAT!ONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOAXJ Uashington, D. C. ?0594 I 4. Sponsor i;.g Agency Code - -. __- - :ary Norcs Abstract Cont'd The National Transportaxion SAFETY Board determines that the prohable cause of the accident was the airpiane's encounter during the liftoff and initial climb phase Of flight with a effects of which the pilot would have had difficulty recognizing and reacting to in tine for the microburst-induced wind shear which imp& a downdraft ana a decreasing headwind, the airplane's descent to be arrested before its impact with trees.

3 Contributing to the accident was the limited capability 3f current ground based low level wind shear detection technology to provide definitive guidance for controllers and pilots for iise in avoiding low level wind shear encoucters ii CONTENTS SYNOPSS .. 1 FACTUAL INFORMATION .. 2 history of the flight .. 2 Injuries to Persons .. 4 Damage to Airplane .. 4 Other Damage .. 4 Personnel Infmmation .. 4 Akraft Infwination .. 5 Meteorologic& Information .. 6 Weather Radar .. 8 Flightcrew Weather Okerwtions .. 10 Aids to Navigation 13 Wittesses' Weatkr Observations 12 Communications.

4 13 Aei-odrome Information .. 13 Low Level Wind Shear Alert ShTstem .. 14 Fligbt Qecorders .. 18 3lediC;si md Pat'mlogicd Informatien .. 21 Fire .. 21 Sur%<vai Aspects .. 21 Tests a?c! Resee-ch .. 22 Joint Airport Weather Study Project .. 24 Airplane Pe-formmce Analysis 30 Wind Anal>& 27 Ground Roll to Rotation .. 32 Thirty-Five Feet ACL to Initial Impact 32 Rotation. Lift Off and C!irnb to 35 Feet AGL 32 Other information .. 33 Air Traffic Control Procedures .. 33 ATE Procedures .. 34 Convec:ive Weat>her Advisories 39 Dissemination of LLKSAS Information 34.

5 Wreckage md Impact Information .. 20 Heew Rain Effects on Airplane Perfor:::vnce .. 22 .. Pan Ameriwn World A insays Performance Requirements and Operation Procedures .. 39 Disptdi Yiwedures .. 40 Ta' .. iff ?mW&?es .. We&r;her Avoidaxe and Xind Shear information 41 .. 40 Wind Shear Trllicing .. 43 FAA Advisory Ci-?uIrt- .. 43 Simulator Training .. 46 .. Airplene Keather Radar System P-ocedures .. 42 Training C~urses .. 45 Low Level WinG Shear Detecricn S\tstems-Air and Ground .. 47 Ground Detection Systems .. 47 Humen Pe?

6 Formance Data 51 .. Airborne Detectim Systems 48 .. 1 . 1 . 1 1-11 I . t2 1-15 3 . :.. i?? 2 . 3 . a . 5 . ANALYSES .. General .. Meteorological Factors .. flight Folder .. Weather Conditions at Airport .. Convective Weather Activity .. Rainfall Rates .. Wind Direction and Speed .. Airplane Aerodynamic Performance .. Effect of Heavy Rain on Airplane Airfoils . Operational Factors .. Company Manuals .. ATC Dissemination of Weather Information . Clipper 759 s Pieather Radar.

7 Operational Decisions .. Wind Shear Detection Systems .. 52 53 52 .. 53 .. 53 .. 53 .. 54 .. 54 .. 56 .. 52 .. 63 .. 63 .. 63 .. 66 .. 67 .. 69 .. CONCLUSIONS .. 70 Probable Cause 72 Findings 70 RECOMMENDATIONS .. 73 APPENDIXES .. Appendix A-Investigation and Public He .. g.. 77 77 Appendix B-Personnel Information .. 78 Appendix C-Airplane Information .. EO ..A Vpendix D-Transcript of Cockpit Voice Recorder .. El Appendix E-Jeppesen Runway Diagram Chart .. 113 Appendix F-Readout of Flighh? Data Recorder .. 115 .. ,: '.

8 ?".* ." .. ; '. '.? ' F ..c<.'4 1.. x:.< .i WASEINGN)N, D-C- 20594 ..*..'.'.. - _.,.x .. - .. ? .i .. ,,~, ..=..> NATIONAL TRANSPOIWA'ITON SAFETY BOARD .. :.. : ..P .?:;2 ,;.. Ai lC&lFTACCEXZNT BEsogT ..:..-..- ..:. Adopt& BY- 21,1983 .. :.. :*; ..: . y ..,:.. -;; 4: .. :e: .. -..:::y . - .-- ..: .. SYNOFSE .- On July 9. 1982, Pan American World Xirwazs, Inc, flight 759 (Clipper 1591, a Boeing 727-235, N4737, was s regularly sebeduled passenger flight from sliami, Florid&, to Lss Vegas, Nevada, with till en route stop at Kew Orleens; Louisiana.

9 About Is07251 central daylight time, Ciipper 759, with 7 crewmembers, 1 nonreveme passenger on the cockpit jumpeat. and 137 pasengers on W-d, been its t&eoff from runway 10 at the New OrIeans InternaConai Air-, Kemer. Louisiena. - : .i ..; ~ .., ' .. the airport and to the easi of the airport along the &@me's intended takeoff path. The. At tbe time of flight 759's t&eo f. there were showers over the east end of winds at the time were gust:. variable, end swirling. Clipper 759 lifted off the rmway, climbed to an altitude of between 95 feet to abut 150 feet ebove the ground, and then begtin to descend.

10 The airplane struck a line of trees about 2,376 feet beyond the depclrture end of runwa>t 15 at an &titube of abut 50 feet above the ground. The airplane contimed on an eastward track for another feet hitting trees and houses and then crashed in a residential area about feet fmm the end of the runway. The U?LS &strop3 during the imprict, explasion, and subsequent ground fire. One hundred forty-five persws on board the airphne and 8 persons on #e gromd were killed in the crash. slx houses were destroyed; five houses were damaged substanti&y.