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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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October 29, 1986 · Boeing 727-222 · N7255U

Los Angeles, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
October 29, 1986
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (73 uninjured)
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Aircraft
Boeing 727-222
Tail Number
N7255U
Injuries
None
NTSB Number
LAX87IA027

DRG ARR, UNITED FLT 282 (BOEING 727, N7255U) WAS VECTORED BY LOS ANGELES (LAX) TRACON FOR AN ILS RWY 25L APCH. WHILE IN A DSCNDG TURN AT 2100' MSL TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC AT 2000', THE CAPT SAW A HELICOPTER (HEL) AHEAD & PULLED UP. HE ESTDHIS ACFT PASSED W/I 200' TO 300' OF THE HEL. THE HEL WAS A DEA ACFT (HUGHES 369D, N8620F) ON A SURVEILLANCE FLT. THE DEAPLT SAID HE WAS HOVERING BLO THE LAX TERMINAL CTL AREA (TCA) WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING MAKE A RGT TURN TWD THE LAX ARPT. HE SAID THE BOEING WAS IN HIS VIEW FOR THE ENTIRE TIME & IT WAS NOT A HAZARD TO HIM, BUT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ITS LOW ALT. LATER, HE ADZD LAX TWR. THE DEA PLT STATED HE WAS OPERG BTN 1400' & 1900' & THAT THE HEL WAS AT 1300' WHEN THE BOEING CONVERGED. HE ESTD THE BOEING CROSSED 300' TO 400' ABV THE HEL. RADAR DATA INDCD THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED TO A SLANT RANGE OF 1500'. MIN VERT SEPN WAS 200'. RADAR DATA ALSO INDCD THAT FLT 282 REMAINED ABV THE TCA FLOOR (2000') & THAT THE HEL WAS BLO THE TCA. A LEAK WAS FND IN THE HEL'S PITOT STATIC SYS, WHICH CAUSED AN UNDETERMINED ERROR.

Full Narrative

DRG ARR, UNITED FLT 282 (BOEING 727, N7255U) WAS VECTORED BY LOS ANGELES (LAX) TRACON FOR AN ILS RWY 25L APCH. WHILE IN A DSCNDG TURN AT 2100' MSL TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC AT 2000', THE CAPT SAW A HELICOPTER (HEL) AHEAD & PULLED UP. HE ESTDHIS ACFT PASSED W/I 200' TO 300' OF THE HEL. THE HEL WAS A DEA ACFT (HUGHES 369D, N8620F) ON A SURVEILLANCE FLT. THE DEAPLT SAID HE WAS HOVERING BLO THE LAX TERMINAL CTL AREA (TCA) WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING MAKE A RGT TURN TWD THE LAX ARPT. HE SAID THE BOEING WAS IN HIS VIEW FOR THE ENTIRE TIME & IT WAS NOT A HAZARD TO HIM, BUT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ITS LOW ALT. LATER, HE ADZD LAX TWR. THE DEA PLT STATED HE WAS OPERG BTN 1400' & 1900' & THAT THE HEL WAS AT 1300' WHEN THE BOEING CONVERGED. HE ESTD THE BOEING CROSSED 300' TO 400' ABV THE HEL. RADAR DATA INDCD THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED TO A SLANT RANGE OF 1500'. MIN VERT SEPN WAS 200'. RADAR DATA ALSO INDCD THAT FLT 282 REMAINED ABV THE TCA FLOOR (2000') & THAT THE HEL WAS BLO THE TCA. A LEAK WAS FND IN THE HEL'S PITOT STATIC SYS, WHICH CAUSED AN UNDETERMINED ERROR.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time11:09 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway25L
Runway Length11096 ft
Runway Width200 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBoeing 727-222
Tail NumberN7255U
Aircraft CategoryAir
Operating RulePart 121
Engines3
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsP&W · JT8D · Turbofan · 14500 | Allison · 250-C20B · Turboshaft · 375
Seats147

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (73 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured73
Total73
Crew 1Age 49 · First Class
Crew 2Age 43 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind220° @ 8 kt
Visibility3 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point57
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time18:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data