Boeing 727-231 and Ltv A-7 (4 ACFT) incident near Cincinnati, Ohio, March 22, 1986
On March 22, 1986 at about 3:48 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727-231 (N64315) and Ltv A-7 (4 ACFT) (AFNG), were involved in the same incident near Cincinnati, Ohio (Lufken airport). No one was hurt; 152 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 22, 1986 · about 3:48 pm local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · Lufken
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 152 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727-231 · all 727-231s on the register
- Registration
- N64315 · no longer on the register · serial 20048
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Ltv A-7 (4 ACFT) A-7 (4 ACF
- Registration
- AFNG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-231 final · quoted from the NTSB record
INDIANAPOLIS CTR (CTLR-A) CLRD SLUFF 11 (S-11), A FLT OF 4 ANG A-7'S, TO CLB TO FL210. LATER, CTLR-A TOLD S-11 TO CHG FREQ (TO YORK LOW SECTOR, CTLR-B). S-11 CHGD FREQ, BUT NEITHER S-11 NOR CTLR-B ESTABLISHED RDO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER UNTIL S-11 HAD CONTD INTO THE RICHMOND SECTOR (CTLR C'S AREA). ANOTHER FLT, SLUFF 31 (S-31), CANCELED IFR CLNC WITH CTLR-C; HOWEVER, CTLR-C (A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR) BCM CONFUSED WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS & INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CANCELLATION NOTE ON THE COMPUTOR STRIP FOR S-11; HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT NOTE THE ERROR. THE STRIP WAS HANDED TO THE D-SIDE CTLR, WHO QUESTIONED THE NOTATION, BUT ENTERED A CANCELLATION MESSAGE IN THE COMPUTER, THUS REPLACING THE FULL DATA BLK FOR S-11 WITH A LIMITED DATA BLK. SVRL MIN LATER, S-11 CONVERGED WITH A BOEING 727 (TWA FLT 489) THAT HAD BEEN CLRD TO CLB TO FL230. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FLTS PASSED W/I AN ESTIMATED 500' VERTICALLY & 200' LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER. THE FLT LEADER OF SLUFF 11 WAS ON A CHECK FLT & WAS BEING EVALUATED BY A STAN/EVAL INSTRUCTOR PLT (SLUFF 12).
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 Ltv A-7 (4 ACFT) final · quoted from the NTSB record
INDIANAPOLIS CTR (CTLR-A) CLRD SLUFF 11 (S-11), A FLT OF 4 ANG A-7'S, TO CLB TO FL210. LATER, CTLR-A TOLD S-11 TO CHG FREQ (TO YORK LOW SECTOR, CTLR-B). S-11 CHGD FREQ, BUT NEITHER S-11 NOR CTLR-B ESTABLISHED RDO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER UNTIL S-11 HAD CONTD INTO THE RICHMOND SECTOR (CTLR C'S AREA). ANOTHER FLT, SLUFF 31 (S-31), CANCELED IFR CLNC WITH CTLR-C; HOWEVER, CTLR-C (A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR) BCM CONFUSED WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS & INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CANCELLATION NOTE ON THE COMPUTER STRIP FOR S-11; HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT NOTE THE ERROR. THE STRIP WAS HANDED TO THE D-SIDE CTLR, WHO QUESTIONED THE NOTATION, BUT ENTERED A CANCELLATION MESSAGE IN THE COMPUTER, THUS REPLACING THE FULL DATA BLK FOR S-11 WITH A LIMITED DATA BLK. SVRL MIN LATER, S-11 CONVERGED WITH A BOEING 727 (TWA FLT 489) THAT HAD BEEN CLRD TO CLB TO FL230. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FLTS PASSED W/I AN ESTIMATED 500' VERTICALLY & 200' LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER. THE FLT LEADER OF SLUFF 11 WAS ON A CHECK FLT & WAS BEING EVALUATED BY A STAN/EVAL INSTRUCTOR PLT (SLUFF 12).
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 727-231 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: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 191,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH
- Destination: STL St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 141 |
The factual record for the Ltv A-7 (4 ACFT) from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 42,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNK/NR (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Columbus OH at 2:35 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
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.