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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 23, 1988 · Airbus Industrie A-300 · N209PA

Near San Juan, PR

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
May 23, 1988
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (286 uninjured)
Location
Near San Juan, PR
Aircraft
Airbus Industrie A-300
Tail Number
N209PA
Operator
Pan American World Airways
Injuries
None
NTSB Number
MIA88IA176

PAN AM FLT 217 (AIRBUS A300, N209PA) WAS CLRD BY NEW YORK CENTER OCEANIC CTL AREA (OCA) TO PROCEED SOUTH ON AIRWAY AMBER 300 AT FL 290 OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. AS IT WAS EN ROUTE, AMERICAN FLT 902 DEPARTED SAN JUAN (SJU), PR FOR A NORTHBOUND FLT ON THE SAME AIRWAY UNDER IFR CTL BY SJU COMBINED CENTER & RADAR APCH CTL (CERAP). ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WAS BEING GIVEN TO THE CERAP CTLR. AS THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD WAS GETTING 'BUSY' WITH 'A HVY RUSH HOUR,' HIS SUPVR SCANNED THE BAY TO DETERMINE THE TRAFFIC (BUT DID NOT SEE THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP FOR FLT 217) & TOLD THE TRAINEE TO ASSIGN FLT 902 TO FL 290. THE TRAINEE COORDINATED THIS WITH OCA SINCE IT WAS THE WRONG DRCTN FOR THAT ALT. OCA APPROVED & FLT 902 WAS ASSIGNED FL 290. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & PASSED EACH OTHER WITH AN ESTD 300' LATERAL SEPN. THE NEAR COLLISION OCCURRED IN A NON-RADAR INVIRONMENT OVER THE OCEAN ABT 200 MI NORTH OF SAN JUAN. THE OCA CTLR SAID SHE WAS AWARE BOTH FLTS WOULD BE AT THE SAME ALT, BUT APPROVAL WAS BASED ON PREMISE THAT SJU WAS AWARE & WOULD PROVIDE OTR SEPN.

Full Narrative

PAN AM FLT 217 (AIRBUS A300, N209PA) WAS CLRD BY NEW YORK CENTER OCEANIC CTL AREA (OCA) TO PROCEED SOUTH ON AIRWAY AMBER 300 AT FL 290 OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. AS IT WAS EN ROUTE, AMERICAN FLT 902 DEPARTED SAN JUAN (SJU), PR FOR A NORTHBOUND FLT ON THE SAME AIRWAY UNDER IFR CTL BY SJU COMBINED CENTER & RADAR APCH CTL (CERAP). ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WAS BEING GIVEN TO THE CERAP CTLR. AS THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD WAS GETTING 'BUSY' WITH 'A HVY RUSH HOUR,' HIS SUPVR SCANNED THE BAY TO DETERMINE THE TRAFFIC (BUT DID NOT SEE THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP FOR FLT 217) & TOLD THE TRAINEE TO ASSIGN FLT 902 TO FL 290. THE TRAINEE COORDINATED THIS WITH OCA SINCE IT WAS THE WRONG DRCTN FOR THAT ALT. OCA APPROVED & FLT 902 WAS ASSIGNED FL 290. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & PASSED EACH OTHER WITH AN ESTD 300' LATERAL SEPN. THE NEAR COLLISION OCCURRED IN A NON-RADAR INVIRONMENT OVER THE OCEAN ABT 200 MI NORTH OF SAN JUAN. THE OCA CTLR SAID SHE WAS AWARE BOTH FLTS WOULD BE AT THE SAME ALT, BUT APPROVAL WAS BASED ON PREMISE THAT SJU WAS AWARE & WOULD PROVIDE OTR SEPN.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time18:44 AST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAirbus Industrie A-300
Tail NumberN209PA
Aircraft CategoryAir
OperatorPan American World Airways
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsGe · CF6-50C2 · Turbofan · 50000 | P&W · JT8D · Turbofan · 14500
Seats341

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (286 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured286
Total286
Crew 1Age 47 · First Class
Crew 2Age 51 · Unknown

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility13 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 18000 ft
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time22:55
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data