Allegheny Airlines Flight 853

1969 mid-air collision

39°37′02″N 85°55′14″W / 39.61722°N 85.92056°W / 39.61722; -85.92056Total fatalities83Total survivors0First aircraft

N988VJ, the aircraft involved in the collision, seen in December 1968.TypeMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-31OperatorAllegheny AirlinesIATA flight No.AL853ICAO flight No.ALO853Call signALLEGHENY 853RegistrationN988VJFlight originBoston Logan Airport1st stopoverFriendship International Airport2nd stopoverGreater Cincinnati Airport3rd stopoverIndianapolis International AirportDestinationSt. Louis International AirportOccupants82Passengers78Crew4Fatalities82Survivors0Second aircraft

A Piper PA-28 similar to the accident aircraftTypePiper PA-28-140RegistrationN7374JFlight originBrookside Airpark, BrooksideDestinationColumbus Municipal Airport ColumbusOccupants1Crew1Fatalities1Survivors0

Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 was a regularly scheduled Allegheny Airlines flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to St. Louis, Missouri, with stops in Baltimore, Maryland, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. On September 9, 1969, the aircraft serving the flight, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, collided in mid-air with a Piper PA-28 light aircraft near Fairland, Indiana. The DC-9 was carrying 78 passengers and 4 crew members, and the Piper was leased to a student pilot on a solo cross-country flight. All 83 occupants of both aircraft were killed in the accident and both aircraft were destroyed.^[1]

Flight history

Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 was a regularly scheduled flight departing Boston for Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and St. Louis. Captain James Elrod (47) and First Officer William Heckendorn (26) were at the controls. Elrod was a seasoned veteran with more than 23,800 flight hours.^[1] The flight left Cincinnati at 3:15 pm en route to Indianapolis. They were flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance to Indianapolis, and Approach Control instructed them to descend to 2,500 feet (760 m) after passing the Shelbyville VOR at 6,000 feet (1,800 m). The flight was then vectored to a 280 degree heading.^[1]

Meanwhile, the private Piper PA-28 piloted by Robert Carey (34) was on a southeasterly heading. It was operating under a filed visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan which indicated a cruising altitude of 3,500 feet (1,100 m). It was not in communication with air traffic control and was not equipped with a transponder,^[2] and there was no evidence that it appeared as a primary radar target on the radarscope.^[1]

The two aircraft converged at a relative speed of 350 mph (300 kn; 560 km/h). The initial point of impact was at the top front right section of the DC-9's vertical stabilizer, just underneath the horizontal stabilizer. On the Piper, the impact point was just forward of the left wing root.^[3] The impact severed the entire tail assembly of the DC-9, which inverted and plowed into a soybean field at an approximate speed of 400 mph (350 kn; 640 km/h) about 100 yards (300 ft; 91 m) north of the Shady Acres mobile home park.^[3]

Probable cause

The National Transportation Safety Board released the following probable cause in a report adopted July 15, 1970:^[1]

The Board determines the probable cause of this accident to be the deficiencies in the collision avoidance capability of the Air Traffic Control system of the FAA in a terminal area wherein there was mixed instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) traffic. The deficiencies included the inadequacy of the see-and-avoid concept under the circumstances of this case; the technical limitations of radar in detecting all aircraft; and the absence of Federal Aviation Regulations which would provide a system of adequate separation of mixed VFR and IFR traffic in terminal areas.

Legacy

The NTSB and FAA realized the inherent limitations of the "see and be seen" principle of air traffic separation in visual meteorological conditions, especially involving aircraft of dissimilar speeds or cloud layers and other restrictions to visibility.^[1] Over a period of years, following similar incidents and taking advantage of technological advances, the two agencies drove a number of corrective steps for the aviation industry, including:

Transponders are now installed in most general aviation aircraft^[4] and all commercial aircraft, dramatically increasing radar visibility of lower and slower-flying smaller aircraft, especially near atmospheric disturbances or other clutter (see Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System and Secondary Surveillance Radar)
Most airports with scheduled airline service now have a surrounding controlled airspace (ICAO designation Class B or Class C) for improved IFR and VFR traffic separation; all aircraft must be transponder-equipped and in communication with air traffic control to operate within this controlled airspace^[5]
Most commercial and air-carrier aircraft now have an airborne collision avoidance or TCAS device on board that can detect and warn about nearby transponder-equipped traffic^[4]
ATC radar systems now have "conflict alert"—automated ground-based collision avoidance software that sounds an alarm when aircraft come within a minimum safe separation distance^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Aircraft Accident Report, Allegheny Airlines, Inc., DC-9, N988VJ, and a Forth Corporation, Piper PA-28, N7374J, Near Fairland, Indiana, September 9, 1969 (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. July 15, 1970. NTSB-AAR-70-15. Retrieved March 25, 2016. - Copy from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
^ "The Air: Death in TheSkies". September 19, 1969. Archived from the original on May 5, 2005 – via content.time.com.
^ ^a ^b "Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 memorial". www.allegheny853.net.
^ ^a ^b "General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity and Avionics (GAATAA) Surveys CY2004". www.faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
^ "FAA Federal Aviation Regulations". airweb.faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. June 23, 2001. Archived from the original on June 23, 2001. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
^ NTSB Conflict Alert Safety Recommendation, 2003

External links

Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network
ABC and CBS News Reports of the Crash, September 9, 1969 on YouTube
NBC News Report of the Crash, October 10, 1969 on YouTube

McDonnell Douglas DC-9 family

Civil/Commercial

DC-9
- -80/81/82/83/87/88

Boeing 717

Military

Accidents and
incidents

DC-9	West Coast Airlines Flight 956 (1966) TWA Flight 553 (1967) Ozark Air Lines Flight 965 (1968) Ozark Air Lines Flight 982 (1968) Viasa Flight 742 (1969) Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 (1969) 1970 Dominicana air disaster Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320 (1970) ALM Flight 980 (1970) Southern Airways Flight 932 (1970) Hughes Airwest Flight 706 (1971) 1972 Turkish Airlines Adana crash JAT Flight 367 (1972) EgyptAir Flight 763 (1972) Delta Air Lines Flight 9570 (1972) Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 130 (1972) Southern Airways Flight 49 (1972) 1972 Chicago–O'Hare runway collision 1973 Nantes mid-air collision Aeroméxico Flight 229 (1973) Delta Air Lines Flight 723 (1973) Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 (1974) Avensa Flight 358 (1974) Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 450 (1975) 1976 Zagreb mid-air collision Southern Airways Flight 242 (1977) Air Canada Flight 189 (1978) TWA Flight 541 (1978) Alitalia Flight 4128 (1978) Itavia Flight 870 (1980) Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 206 (1981) Aeroméxico Flight 230 (1981) Aeroméxico Flight 110 (1981) Avensa Flight 007 (1983) Air Canada Flight 797 (1983) 1983 Madrid runway disaster Ozark Air Lines Flight 650 (1983) Eastern Air Lines Flight 494 (1985) Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105 (1985) Aeroméxico Flight 498 (1986) Garuda Indonesia Flight 035 (1987) Continental Airlines Flight 1713 (1987) Evergreen International Airlines Flight 17 (1988) Alitalia Flight 404 (1990) 1990 Wayne County Airport runway collision Ryan International Airlines Flight 590 (1991) Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela Flight 108 (1991) Japan Air System Flight 451 (1993) USAir Flight 1016 (1994) Intercontinental de Aviación Flight 256 (1995) ValuJet Flight 592 (1996) Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2553 (1997) Cebu Pacific Flight 387 (1998) TAESA Flight 725 (1999) Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 (2005) 2006 Mexico drug bust Hewa Bora Airways Flight 122 (2008)
MD-80	Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308 (1981) Northwest Airlines Flight 255 (1987) Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 046 (1988) Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 751 (1991) China Eastern Airlines Flight 5398 (1993) China Northern Airlines Flight 6901 (1993) Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 347 (1994) TWA Flight 427 (1994) American Airlines Flight 1572 (1995) Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 (1996) Korean Air Flight 1533 (1999) American Airlines Flight 1420 (1999) Alaska Airlines Flight 261 (2000) 2001 Linate Airport disaster China Northern Airlines Flight 6136 (2002) Lion Air Flight 538 (2004) West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 (2005) One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 (2007) Atlasjet Flight 4203 (2007) Spanair Flight 5022 (2008) Dana Air Flight 0992 (2012) Air Algérie Flight 5017 (2014) Delta Air Lines Flight 1086 (2015) Ameristar Charters Flight 9363 (2017) Caspian Airlines Flight 6936 (2020) 2021 Houston MD-87 crash RED Air Flight 203 (2022)
MD-90	Uni Air Flight 873 (1999)

Topics

Operators
- MD-80
- MD-90
- Boeing 717

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1969 (1969)
Jan 5 Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 Jan 6 Allegheny Airlines Flight 737 Jan 13 Scandinavian Airlines Flight 933 Jan 18 United Air Lines Flight 266 Feb 18 El Al Flight 432 Feb 18 Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708 Feb 24 Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104 Mar 5 Prinair Flight 277 Mar 16 Viasa Flight 742 Mar 20 United Arab Airlines Aswan crash Mar 25 Delta Air Lines Flight 821 Apr 2 LOT Polish Airlines Flight 165 Apr 15 EC-121 shootdown incident Apr 28 LAN-Chile Flight 160 May 23 1969 theft of C-130 Jun 4 Mexicana de Aviación Flight 704 Jun 23 Yukhnov mid-air collision Jul 12 Royal Nepal Airlines DC-3 crash Jul 26 TWA Flight 5787 Aug 3 Aeroflot Flight N-826 Aug 29 TWA Flight 840 Aug 31 Newton Cessna 172 crash Sep 9 Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 Sep 12 Philippine Air Lines Flight 158 Sep 26 La Paz LAB DC-6 crash Nov 19 Mohawk Airlines Flight 411 Nov 20 Nigeria Airways Flight 825 Dec 3 Air France Flight 212 Dec 8 Olympic Airways Flight 954 Dec 11 Korean Air Lines YS-11 hijacking
1968 ◄ ► 1970

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1969 (1969)

Jan 5

Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701

Jan 6

Allegheny Airlines Flight 737

Jan 13

Scandinavian Airlines Flight 933

Jan 18

United Air Lines Flight 266

Feb 18

El Al Flight 432

Feb 18

Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708

Feb 24

Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104

Mar 5

Prinair Flight 277

Mar 16

Viasa Flight 742

Mar 20

United Arab Airlines Aswan crash

Mar 25

Delta Air Lines Flight 821

Apr 2

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 165

Apr 15

EC-121 shootdown incident

Apr 28

LAN-Chile Flight 160

May 23

1969 theft of C-130

Jun 4

Mexicana de Aviación Flight 704

Jun 23

Yukhnov mid-air collision

Jul 12

Royal Nepal Airlines DC-3 crash

Jul 26

TWA Flight 5787

Aug 3

Aeroflot Flight N-826

Aug 29

TWA Flight 840

Aug 31

Newton Cessna 172 crash

Sep 9

Allegheny Airlines Flight 853

Sep 12

Philippine Air Lines Flight 158

Sep 26

La Paz LAB DC-6 crash

Nov 19

Mohawk Airlines Flight 411

Nov 20

Nigeria Airways Flight 825

Dec 3

Air France Flight 212

Dec 8

Olympic Airways Flight 954

Dec 11

Korean Air Lines YS-11 hijacking

1968 ◄ ► 1970

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States and U.S. territories in the 1960s
1960	National Airlines Flight 2511 Capital Airlines Flight 20 Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710 Chicago Helicopter Airways Flight 698 World Airways Flight 830 Eastern Air Lines Flight 375 Cal Poly football team New York mid-air collision
1961	Goldsboro B-52 American Airlines Flight 1502 Yuba City B-52 United Air Lines Flight 859 Alaska Airlines Flight 779 TWA Flight 529 Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706 Imperial Airlines Flight 201/8 Cincinnati Zantop DC-4
1962	American Airlines Flight 1 Continental Airlines Flight 11 Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 301 United Air Lines Flight 297 Eastern Air Lines Flight 512
1963	Elephant Mountain B-52 Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 705 Camden PA-24 Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 293 Mohawk Airlines Flight 112 Pan Am Flight 214
1964	Savage Mountain B-52 Eastern Air Lines Flight 304 Paradise Airlines Flight 901A Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 United Air Lines Flight 823 Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114 Flying Tiger Line Flight 282
1965	USAF KC-135 Wichita Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 Pan Am Flight 843 Continental Airlines Flight 12 Allegheny Airlines Flight 604 United Air Lines Flight 389 American Airlines Flight 383 United Air Lines Flight 227 Carmel mid-air (Eastern 853, TWA 42)
1966	NASA T-38 American Flyers Airline Flight 280/D Braniff International Airways Flight 250 West Coast Airlines Flight 956
1967	Lake Central Airlines Flight 527 TWA Flight 553 West Coast Airlines Flight 720 Delta Air Lines Flight 9877 Mohawk Airlines Flight 40 Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 Lake Erie skydiving disaster TWA Flight 159 X-15 Flight 3-65-97 TWA Flight 128
1968	Ozark Air Lines Flight 965 Braniff International Airways Flight 352 Los Angeles Airways Flight 841 Los Angeles Airways Flight 417 Northeast Airlines Flight 946 Japan Air Lines Flight 2 Pan Am Flight 281 Wien Consolidated Airlines Flight 55 Allegheny Airlines Flight 736 Pan Am Flight 799 North Central Airlines Flight 458 Ozark Air Lines Flight 982
1969	Allegheny Airlines Flight 737 Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 933 United Air Lines Flight 266 Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708 Prinair Flight 277 Delta Air Lines Flight 821 TWA Flight 5787 Newton Cessna 172 crash Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 Mohawk Airlines Flight 411
This list is incomplete.