Aircraft Accident Report
Descent Below Visual Glidepath and Collision with Terrain
Delta Air Lines Flight 554
McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N914DL
LaGuardia Airport, New York
October 19, 1996
Aircraft Accident Report
Descent Below Visual Glidepath and Collision with Terrain
Delta Air Lines Flight 554
McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N914DL
LaGuardia Airport, New York
October 19, 1996
NTSB Number AAR-97/03
NTIS Number PB97-910403
PDF Document (1.3M)
Abstract: This report explains the descent below visual glidepath and collision with terrain of Delta Air Lines flight 554 at LaGuardia Airport on October 19, 1996. The safety issues in this report focused on the possible hazards of monovision contact lenses, visual illusions encountered during the approach, non-instantaneous vertical speed information, the weather conditions encountered during the approach, the guidance in air carrier's manuals regarding flightcrew member duties, the stabilized approach criteria in air carrier's manuals, emergency evacuation procedures, special airport criteria and designation, and LaGuardia Airport issues/runway light spacing. Safety recommendations concerning these issues were addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration and to optometric associations.