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| Date: | Tuesday 9 March 1993 |
| Time: | 16:00 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-227 Adv. |
| Owner/operator: | Continental Airlines |
| Registration: | N79754 |
| MSN: | 21363/1258 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 38828 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D-9 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 46 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Houston, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Merida, MEXICO |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
DURING CRUISE AT FLIGHT LEVEL 350, WHILE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE CREW RECEIVED A CLIMB RESOLUTION ADVISORY FROM THE TRAFFIC ALERT AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (TCAS). THE CREW INITIATED A CLIMB INITIALLY AT 1,500 FPM, AND THEN INCREASED THE CLIMB TO 2,500 FPM. A PASSENGER STANDING NEAR THE AFT GALLEY SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE TRAFFIC WAS A NASA T-38A PERFORMING A FUNCTIONAL CHECK FLIGHT. DURING THE STALL SERIES, THE T-38A HAD DESCENDED THROUGH FLIGHT LEVEL 350, AND THE PILOT INITIATED A CLIMB BACK TO ABOVE FLIGHT LEVEL 350. THE T-38A WAS VFR BASED ON A LETTER OF AGREEMENT, AND THE PILOT HAD BEEN ADVISED BY ATC NOT TO GO BELOW FLIGHT LEVEL 350 BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOUSTON ARTCC, NASA, HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL TOWER, AND THE 147TH FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR GROUP, ELLINGTON FIELD, TEXAS, WAS IN VIOLATION OF EXTANT INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO) AGREEMENTS, AND WAS RESCINDED ON 3/10/93, THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
Probable Cause: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE T-38A TO FOLLOW FLIGHT ADVISORIES. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LETTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FAA AND NASA WHICH WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ICAO PROCEDURES.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW93FA100
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Mar-2024 20:18 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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