What happened
Lufthansa Flight 5432, operating a Boeing 747 with registration D-ABYP, was conducting an arrival procedure at the New Orleans International Airport. The aircraft had been vectored by air traffic control for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer backcourse approach to Runway 19. While maintaining an altitude of 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the flight crew received instructions from the arrival controller to switch communication frequencies and contact the tower.
Shortly after the frequency change, the arrival controller detected a VFR-coded radar target appearing on the display. Recognizing the potential conflict, the controller attempted to warn the Boeing crew using an override transmission feature. However, this attempt was unsuccessful because another controller was actively transmitting on the same frequency at that moment.
Despite the lack of verbal warning, the flight crew visually acquired the other aircraft, which was approaching head-on. To avoid a collision, the crew executed a steep turn to the right. The other aircraft involved was identified as a light single-engine plane, also flying at 2,000 feet MSL. This second aircraft was never positively identified, and there was no observation of it taking any evasive action.
The incident occurred within a Group II Terminal Control Area (TCA) established at New Orleans. The location of the near collision coincided with the minimum altitude for that segment of the instrument approach, which aligned with the floor of the TCA. Under the regulations in effect at the time, VFR flight was permitted up to the bottom of the TCA in this specific area. The number of occupants aboard the unidentified light aircraft remained unknown.