1989-05-08: Boeing 747 — Air New Zealand — Los Angeles, CA

Casualties unknown • Los Angeles, CA, US

Probable cause

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK-OUT BY THE PILOT OF THE OTHER (SMALL TWIN ENGINE) AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WAS: A DELAY OF THE 747 CREW TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

AIR NEW ZEALAND FLT 6 (BOEING B-747, ZK-NZX) WAS INBOUND TO LOS ANEGLES. IT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 7000 FT ABOUT 26 MI SOUTH OF THE SEAL BEACH VOR. COAST TRACON WAS TRACKING THE 747 & ANOTHER MODE C TARGET, BUT WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE 2ND (UNKNOWN) ACFT. ATC ISSUED TRAFFIC ADVISORIES TO THE 747 AS THE 2ND ACFT CLOSED ON A HEAD-ON COURSE. THE 747 CREW MADE AN ABRUPT DESCENDING LEFT TURN TO AVOID THE OTHER ACFT, WHICH WAS CONVERVING AT THE SAME ALTITUDE & PASSED WITH APRX 100 METERS HORIZONTAL DISTANCE. THE OTHER ACFT WAS RPRTD TO BE A SMALL TWIN ENG AIRPLANE. TWO FLT ATTENDANTS & ONE PSGR RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AREA & ALTITUDE WERE IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE.

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1989-05-08 Boeing 747 accident near Los Angeles, CA?

AIR NEW ZEALAND FLT 6 (BOEING B-747, ZK-NZX) WAS INBOUND TO LOS ANEGLES. IT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 7000 FT ABOUT 26 MI SOUTH OF THE SEAL BEACH VOR. COAST TRACON WAS TRACKING THE 747 & ANOTHER MODE C TARGET, BUT WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE 2ND (UNKNOWN) ACFT. ATC ISSUED TRAFFIC ADVISORIES TO THE 747 AS THE…

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1989-05-08 involved a Boeing 747, registration ZKNZX, operated by Air New Zealand, at Los Angeles, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK-OUT BY THE PILOT OF THE OTHER (SMALL TWIN ENGINE) AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WAS: A DELAY OF THE 747 CREW TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X28339. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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