Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011 incident near Los Angeles, California, March 19, 1983
On March 19, 1983 at about 3:45 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 747 (N9VSQQ) and Lockheed L-1011 (N323EA), were involved in the same incident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Intl airport). No one was hurt; 588 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1983 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Intl
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 588 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 747 · all 747s on the register
- Registration
- N9VSQQ · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Lockheed L-1011
- Registration
- N323EA · registry record
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N323EA WAS STOPPED 44 FT PRIOR TO THE FINAL TURN OFF POINT FOR IT'S GATE ALLOWING THE TAIL TO EXTEND 21 FT BEYOND THE LIMIT LINE. 9VSQQ WAS TAXIING AT 'PILOTS DISCRETION' ALONG THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO PASS BEHIND N323EA AT A 90 DEG RT ANGLE. THE RT WING OF 9VSQQ COLLIDED WITH THE THRUST REVERSER AND TAIL PIPE OF N323EA. THE CREW OF 9VSQQ STATED THEY SAW N323EA, BUT FELT SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE EXISTED BTWN THE TWO ACFT. N323EA'S THRUST REVERSER WAS DESTROYED AND 9VSQQ'S RT WING TIP WAS RIPPED FROM LEADING TO TRAILING EDGE. N323EA HAD STROBE LIGHTS OPERATING WHILE STOPPED ON THE RAMP. THE CAPTAIN OF 9VSQQ WARNED THE FIRST OFFICER JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, 'DON'T LOOK AT THE STROBES THEY'LL BLIND YOU.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Lockheed L-1011 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N323EA WAS STOPPED 44 FT PRIOR TO THE FINAL TURN OFF POINT FOR IT'S GATE ALLOWING THE TAIL TO EXTEND 21 FT BEYOND THE LIMIT LINE. 9VSQQ WAS TAXIING AT 'PILOTS DISCRETION' ALONG THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO PASS BEHIND N323EA AT A 90 DEG RT ANGLE. THE RT WING OF 9VSQQ COLLIDED WITH THE THRUST REVERSER AND TAIL PIPE OF N323EA. THE CREW OF 9VSQQ STATED THEY SAW N323EA, BUT FELT SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE EXSISTED BTWN THE TWO ACFT. N323EA'S THRUST REVERSER WAS DESTROYED AND 9VSQQ'S RT WING TIP WAS RIPPED FROM LEADING TO TRAILING EDGE. N323EA HAD STROBE LIGHTS OPERATING WHILE STOPPED ON THE RAMP. THE CAPTAIN OF 9VSQQ WARNED THE FIRST OFFICER JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, 'DON'T LOOK AT THE STROBES THEY'LL BLIND YOU.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Boeing 747 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 710,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W JT9D-7A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Singapore Airlines, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 21 | |||
| Passengers | 354 |
The factual record for the Lockheed L-1011 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 710,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 15 | |||
| Passengers | 198 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.