Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 4 December 1965
Aircraft Type: Boeing 707-131B
Owner/operator: Trans World Airlines – TWA
Registration Number: N748TW
Location: New York, NY –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 58
Component Affected: Boeing 707 aircraftBoeing 707 aircraft
Investigating Agency: CABCAB
Category: Accident
A TWA Boeing 707 and Eastern Constellation aircraft approached Carmel VORTAC at FL110, experiencing a collision due to an optical illusion caused by cloud tops. The Eastern 1st officer misjudged altitude separation, prompting a right and left roll by the Constellation crew, resulting in a collision. The TWA crew executed a right and left roll to mitigate the impact.A TWA Boeing 707 and Eastern Constellation aircraft approached Carmel VORTAC at FL110, experiencing a collision due to an optical illusion caused by cloud tops. The Eastern 1st officer misjudged altitude separation, prompting a right and left roll by the Constellation crew, resulting in a collision. The TWA crew executed a right and left roll to mitigate the impact.
Description
TWA Boeing 707 N748TW and Eastern Constellation N6218C approached Carmel VORTAC at FL110 resp. FL100. Due to an optical illusion caused by the up-slope effect of cloud tops, the Eastern 1st officer thought they were on collision course with the TWA jet. He pulled up the Constellation. The reaction of the TWA crew was to roll to the right, followed by a left roll down. Both aircraft collided. The Boeing made a safe landing. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Misjudgement of altitude separation by the crew of EA853 because of an optical illusion created by the up-slope effect of cloud tops resulting in an evasive manoeuvre by the EA853 crew and a reactionary evasive manoeuvre by the TW42 crew.”
Primary Cause
Misjudgement of altitude separation by the crew of EA853 due to an optical illusion created by the up-slope effect of cloud tops.Misjudgement of altitude separation by the crew of EA853 due to an optical illusion created by the up-slope effect of cloud tops.Share on:
