Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 19 October 1996
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-88
Owner/operator: Delta Air Lines
Registration Number: N914DL
Location: New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA) – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 63
Component Affected: Aircraft wingAircraft wing
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A ILS/DME approach to runway 13 resulted in a right wing strike. The main gear then struck the runway end, causing the aircraft to skid down the runway for 2700 feet. Weather conditions included 800 feet broken ceiling, 0.5 mile visibility in fog, a Runway Visual Range of 3000 feet, and possible low-level windshear. The probable cause was the pilot’s inability to accurately perceive the airplane’s position relative to the runway due to visual illusions created by the approach over water, limited lighting, rain, and fog, and incomplete guidance regarding unapproved monovision contact lenses.A ILS/DME approach to runway 13 resulted in a right wing strike. The main gear then struck the runway end, causing the aircraft to skid down the runway for 2700 feet. Weather conditions included 800 feet broken ceiling, 0.5 mile visibility in fog, a Runway Visual Range of 3000 feet, and possible low-level windshear. The probable cause was the pilot’s inability to accurately perceive the airplane’s position relative to the runway due to visual illusions created by the approach over water, limited lighting, rain, and fog, and incomplete guidance regarding unapproved monovision contact lenses.

Description

Just before touchdown, after an ILS/DME approach to runway 13, the right wing struck approach lights. The maingear then struck the runway end and broke off, causing the aircraft to skid down the runway for 2700 feet. Weather at the time was 800 feet broken ceiling, 0,5 mile visibility in fog, a Runway Visual Range of 3000 feet and possible low level windshear. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the inability of the captain, because of his use of monovision contact lenses, to overcome his misperception of the airplane’s position relative to the runway during the visual portion of the approach. This misperception occurred because of visual illusions produced by the approach over water in limited light conditions, the absence of visible ground features, the rain and fog, and the irregular spacing of the runway lights. Contributing to the accident was the lack of instantaneous vertical speed information available to the pilot not flying, and the incomplete guidance available to optometrists, aviation medical examiners, and pilots regarding the prescription of unapproved monovision contact lenses for use by pilots.” (NTSB/AAR-97/03)

Primary Cause

Visual illusions created by the approach over water, limited lighting conditions, rain, and fog, and incomplete guidance regarding unapproved monovision contact lenses.Visual illusions created by the approach over water, limited lighting conditions, rain, and fog, and incomplete guidance regarding unapproved monovision contact lenses.

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