Boeing 727-200 N79754

Summary

On 9 March 1993 at about 20:00 local time, a Boeing 727-200 registered N79754, operated by Continental Airlines, Inc., was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas, United States. 46 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 March 1993 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Houston, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.9907, -95.3504

Aircraft

Boeing 727-200

Registration

N79754

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Continental Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Merida, Mexico → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW93FA100

1 person was seriously injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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ELLINGTON FIELD, TEXAS, WAS IN VIOLATION OF EXTANT INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO) AGREEMENTS, AND WAS RESCINDED ON 3/10/93, THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.