1989-01-22: Boeing 707-323B — Salt Lake City, UT

Casualties unknown • Salt Lake City, UT, US

Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S ATTEMPT TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR SAFE MANEUVERING, RESULTING IN THE NO. 1 ENGINE STRIKING THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE OBSCURED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG, THE CAPTAIN'S LOSS OF DEPTH PERCEPTION, AND PILOT FATIGUE DUE TO DISRUPTED CIRCADIAN RHYTHM.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

PLT WAS EXECUTING CATEGORY I ILS APCH TO RWY 34L AFTER FLYING FROM HON TO SLC. PLT SAID HE 'CAME OFF GAUGES' AT 300 FT AGL EXPECTING TO SEE RWY BUT DIDN'T. AT 200 FT AGL, HE SAW RWY 150 FT TO LEFT BUT LOST ALL DEPTH PERCEPTION. PLT CONSIDERED EXECUTING MISSED APCH BUT FELT HE COULD ALIGN ACFT WITH RWY WITH ALT REMAINING. WHILE MANEUVERING, NO. 1 ENG STRUCK RWY, LEAVING 50-60 FT LONG, 1-INCH DEEP GOUGE. IN PREVIOUS 30 HR PERIOD, PLT HAD BEEN ON DUTY 18 HRS, 30 MIN, AND HAD FLOWN 13 HRS, 25 MIN. HE HAD BEEN OFF DUTY 11 HRS, 24 MIN, BUT HAD SLEPT ONLY 1 HR.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1989-01-22 Boeing 707-323B accident near Salt Lake City, UT?

PLT WAS EXECUTING CATEGORY I ILS APCH TO RWY 34L AFTER FLYING FROM HON TO SLC. PLT SAID HE 'CAME OFF GAUGES' AT 300 FT AGL EXPECTING TO SEE RWY BUT DIDN'T. AT 200 FT AGL, HE SAW RWY 150 FT TO LEFT BUT LOST ALL DEPTH PERCEPTION. PLT CONSIDERED EXECUTING MISSED APCH BUT FELT HE COULD ALIGN ACFT WITH RWY WITH ALT…

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1989-01-22 involved a Boeing 707-323B, registration N712PC, at Salt Lake City, UT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S ATTEMPT TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR SAFE MANEUVERING, RESULTING IN THE NO. 1 ENGINE STRIKING THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE OBSCURED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG, THE CAPTAIN'S LOSS OF DEPTH PERCEPTION, AND PILOT FATIGUE DUE TO DISRUPTED CIRCADIAN…

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X27565. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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