Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 and Boeing 747-121 incident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, January 1, 1984
On January 1, 1984 at about 8:54 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (N82NA) and Boeing 747-121 (N656PA), were involved in the same incident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. 1 person had minor injuries; 495 others were unhurt. 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
- January 1, 1984 · about 8:54 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 495 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 · all DC-10-30s on the register
- Registration
- N82NA · registry record · serial 46713
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 747-121 · all 747-121s on the register
- Registration
- N656PA · registry record · serial 20351
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT NEARLY COLLIDED WITH PAA N656PA AT FL370 ABOUT 200 MI EAST OF MIAMI WHEN ACFT PASSED ABOUT 300 FT FROM EACH OTHER IN A NONRADAR ENVIRONMENT. BOTH ACFT WERE AT THEIR ASSIGNED FLIGHT LEVEL & WERE OPERATING ON ROUTES APPROVED & ISSUED BYMIAMI ARTCC. THE D72 CONTROLLER(CTLR) FAILED TO COORDINATE THE ALT OF N656PA WITH THE D81 CTLR, FAILED TO NOTE CONFLICT WHEN HE APPROVED FL370 FOR N82NA, & PLACED FLT PROGRESS STRIP FOR N82NA IN WRONG BAY AT SECTOR 72 POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, D81 & R81 CTLRS FAILED TO DETECT CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO ACFT. THE R72 CTLR DID NOT CAREFULLY READ THE STRIP WHEN HE FOUND IT. THE BOARD ALSO FOUND THE QUALITY ASSURANCE EFFORTS AT THE MIAMI ARTCC TO BE DEFICIENT.
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 Boeing 747-121 final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT NEARLY COLLIDED WITH PAA N82NA AT FL370 ABOUT 200 MI EAST OF MIAMI WHEN ACFT PASSED ABOUT 300 FT FROM EACH OTHER INA NONRADAR ENVIRONMENT. BOTH ACFT WERE AT THEIR ASSIGNED FLIGHT LEVEL & WERE OPERATING ON ROUTES APPROVED & ISSUED BY MIAMI ARTCC. THE D72 CONTROLLER(CTLR) FAILED TO COORDINATE THE ALT OF N656PA WITH THE D81 CTLR, FAILED TO NOTE CONFLICT WHEN HE APPROVED FL370 FOR N82NA, & PLACED FLT PROGRESS STRIP FOR N82NA IN WRONG BAY AT SECTOR 72 POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, D81 & R81 CTLRS FAILED TO DETECT CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO ACFT. THE R72 CTLR DID NOT CAREFULLY READ THE STRIP WHEN HE FOUND IT. THE BOARD ALSO FOUND THE QUALITY ASSURANCE EFFORTS AT THE MIAMI ARTCC TO BE DEFICIENT.
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 Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 555,000 lb
- Seats: 345
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFK New York NY
- Destination: PJM St. Maarten OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 15 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from MYNN, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 13 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 316 |
The factual record for the Boeing 747-121 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 710,000 lb
- Seats: 495
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT9D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pan American World Airways INC
The flight
- Departed from: EGLN London, England OF
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 15 | |||
| Passengers | 151 |
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.