CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT
MIDAIR COLLISION - TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, INC.,
BOEING 707-131B, N748TW, AND EASTERN AIR LINES, INC.,
LOCKHEED 1049C, N6218C, NEAR CARMEL, NEW YORK,
DECEMBER 4, 1965
SYNOPSIS
Trans World Airlines, Inc., Flight 42, (TW 42), a Boeing 707, N748TW, and Eastern Air Lines, Inc., Flight 853, (EA 853), a Lockheed 1049C, N6218C, were involved in a midair collision over the Carmel, New York VORTAC while en route to the New York City area at approximately 1619 e.s.t., December 4, 1965.
TW 42 departed San Francisco, California, and was approaching the New York area from the northwest for an approach and landing at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. The flight was on an IFR flight plan at an assigned altitude of 11,000 feet mean sea level (m.s.l.). EA 853 departed Boston, Massachusetts, and was approaching the New York area from the northeast for an approach and landing at the Newark Airport. This flight was on an IFR flight plan at an assigned altitude of 10,000 feet m.s.l.
As EA 853 was approaching the Carmel VORTAC on a southwesterly heading, the first officer saw TW 42 at his two o'clock position. Because he believed the jet was at his altitude and on a collision course he called "Look Out" and grasped the control wheel to assist the captain in a pull up. At approximately the same time, the captain of TW 42 observed EA 853 at his ten o'clock position on what he believed to be a collision course. He rolled into a right turn and pulled back on the yoke. He decided this maneuver would not clear EA 853 and he, assisted by his first officer, attempted to reverse the turn by rolling to the left and pushing on the yoke. The aircraft collided at an altitude of approximately 11,000 feet m.s.l.
The Board determines the probable cause of this collision accident was misjudgment of altitude separation by the crew of EA 853 because of an optical illusion created by the up-slope effect of cloud tops resulting in an evasive maneuver by the EA 853 crew and a reactionary evasive maneuver by the TW 42 crew.
1. INVESTIGATION
1.1 History of Flight
Trans World Airlines Flight 42 (TW 42), a Boeing 707-131B, N748TW, departed San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California, at 0905 P.s.t. on an IFR flight plan, destined for John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, N.Y. At departure the adjusted takeoff gross weight was 222,174 pounds in-
