Incident Overview
A nighttime collision occurred on runway 26R between a Beech A100 King Air (registration N44UE) and a Boeing 727 operated by Eastern Airline as Flight 111 (registration N8867E). The accident took place after the King Air had landed and moved to the right side of the runway near taxiway D, approximately 3,800 feet from the approach end of runway 26R.
Sequence of Events
Prior to the accident, the King Air was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 26R behind Continental Flight 9687. Subsequently, Eastern Airline Flight 111 was cleared for the same approach behind the King Air. After landing, Continental Flight 9687 experienced a radio problem, causing communication difficulties with the tower controller. Meanwhile, the King Air landed and its crew repositioned the aircraft to the right side of the runway near taxiway D, which serves as the primary taxiway for general aviation aircraft.
Before the King Air was clear of the runway, Eastern Airline Flight 111 landed and converged on the King Air. The crew of Flight 111 did not see the King Air until moments before the collision. The captain of the Boeing 727 attempted to avoid a collision, but the aircraft's right wing struck the King Air, shearing the top of its fuselage and cockpit.
Additional Details
Some of the King Air's strobe and beacon lights were inoperative, although these lights would most likely have been extinguished for the instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) approach. The local controller did not issue a traffic advisory to Eastern Airline Flight 111 with the landing clearance.
Source Attribution
This article is based on information from NTSB report AAR-91/03.