ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-9-15 N970Z Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 27 March 1968
Time:17:57
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC91 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-9-15
Operator:Ozark Air Lines
Registration: N970Z
MSN: 45772/30
First flight: 1966
Total airframe hrs:5172
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 44
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 49
Collision casualties:Fatalities: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:2,4 km (1.5 mls) N of Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL) (   United States of America)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Peoria-Greater Peoria Airport, IL (PIA/KPIA), United States of America
Destination airport:Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL), United States of America
Flightnumber: 965
Narrative:
An Ozark Air Lines DC-9, N970Z, and an Interstate Airmotive Cessna l5OF (N8669G) collided in flight approximately 1.5 miles north of Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 17:57 local time.
Both aircraft were in the landing pattern for Runway 17, under the jurisdiction of the St. Louis Tower, when the accident occurred.
The Cessna was demolished by the collision and ground impact, and both occupants were fatally injured. The DC-9 sustained light damage and was able to effect a safe landing.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The combination of: the inadequacy of current VFR separation standards in controlled airspace, the crew of the DC-9 not sighting the Cessna in time to avoid it, the absence of VFR traffic pattern procedures to enhance an orderly flow of landing aircraft, the local controller not assuring that important landing information issued to the Cessna was received and understood under the circumstances of a heavy traffic situation without radar assistance, and the Cessna crew's deviation from their traffic pattern instructions and/or their continuation to a critical point in the traffic pattern without informing the local controller of the progress of the flight."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 3 months
Accident number: NTSB-AAR-69-2
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Mid air collision
Forced landing on runway

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 1 Safety Recommendation

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Photos

photo of Douglas-DC-9-15-N970Z
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Peoria-Greater Peoria Airport, IL to Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO as the crow flies is 219 km (137 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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