Boeing 727-225 and Lockheed C-141 incident near Hampton, New York, September 29, 1987
On September 29, 1987 at about 11:18 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727-225 (N8864E) and Lockheed C-141 (USAF), were involved in the same incident near Hampton, New York. No one was hurt; 97 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
- September 29, 1987 · about 11:18 pm local time
- Place
- Hampton, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 97 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727-225 · all 727-225s on the register
- Registration
- N8864E · no longer on the register · serial 20626
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Lockheed C-141
- Registration
- USAF · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · military rules
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-225 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL CONTROLLER (FPL CTLR) AT SECTOR 31 OF BOSTON ARTCC WAS GIVING FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING TO ANOTHER FPL CTLR TO FAMILIARIZE THE TRAINEE WITH A NEW AREA THAT HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM NEW YORK ARTCC TO BOSTON ARTCC. SECTOR 31 WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RATHER COMPLEX & BUSY AREA. DURING A BUSY PERIOD AFTER TRAFFIC HAD 'PEAKED', THECTLRS WERE CONCENTRATING ON A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN 2 ACFT WHEN ONE OF THEM (EASTERN FLT 380, A BOEING 727) BEGAN CONVERGING WITH A 3RD ACFT (MAC 67947, A USAF C-141). THE CONFLICT ALERT SYSTEM ACTIVATED & THE CTLRS ISSUED A TURN TO AVOID CONVERGENCE; HOWEVER, THE 2 ACFT PASSED WITHIN 1/2 MILE OF EACH OTHER WITH THE SAME ALTITUDE ASSIGNMENT. EA380 HADBEEN ASSIGNED AN ABNORMALLY LOW ALTITUDE (FL230) FOR ITS ROUTING. THE CONFLICT OCCURRED WHEN EA380 TURNED IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTCC CLEARANCE.
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 C-141 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL CONTROLLER (FPL CTLR) AT SECTOR 31 OF BOSTON ARTCC WAS GIVING FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING TO ANOTHER FPL CTLR TO FAMILIARIZE THE TRAINEE WITH A NEW AREA THAT HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM NEW YORK ARTCC TO BOSTON ARTCC. SECTOR 31 WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RATHER COMPLEX & BUSY AREA. DURING A BUSY PERIOD AFTER TRAFFIC HAD 'PEAKED', THE CTLRS WERE CONCENTRATING ON A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN 2 ACFT WHEN ONE OF THEM (EASTERN FLT 380, A BOEING 727) BEGAN CONVERGING WITH A 3RD ACFT (MAC 67947, A USAF C-141). THE CONFLICT ALERT SYSTEM ACTIVATED & THE CTLRS ISSUED A TURN TO AVOID CONVERGENCE; HOWEVER, THE 2 ACFT PASSED WITHIN 1/2 MI OF EACH OTHER WITH THE SAME ALTITUDE ASSIGNMENT. EA380 HAD BEEN ASSIGNED AN ABNORMALLY LOW ALTITUDE (FL230) FOR ITS ROUTING. THE CONFLICT OCCURRED WHEN EA380 TURNED IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTCC CLEARANCE.
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 727-225 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,420 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 134
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC at 10:15 pm
- Destination: BOS Boston MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 87 |
The factual record for the Lockheed C-141 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; 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: 343,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W TF-33 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Usaf
The flight
- Departed from: Mcguire Afb NJ
- Destination: Mcguire Afb NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.