29 December 1972 - Eastern 401

Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, operated by a four-month-old Lockheed L-1011, registration N310EA, carrying 163 passengers and 13 crewmembers, departed New York-JFK at 21.20h EST for a flight to Miami.

The flight was uneventful until the approach to Miami. After selecting gear down, the nosegear light didn't indicate 'down and locked'. Even after recycling the gear, the light still didn't illuminate. At 23.34h the crew called Miami Tower and were advised to climb to 2000ft and hold. At 23.37h the captain instructed the second officer to enter the forward electronics bay, below the flight deck, to check visually the alignment of the nose gear indices. Meanwhile, the flight crew continued their attempts to free the nosegear position light lens from its retainer, without success.

The second officer was directed to descend into the electronics bay again at 23.38h and the captain and first officer continued discussing the gear position light lens assembly and how it might have been reinserted incorrectly. At 23.40:38 a half-second C-chord sounded in the cockpit, indicating a +/- 250ft deviation from the selected altitude. None of the crewmembers commented on the warning and no action was taken. A little later the Eastern Airlines maintenance specialist, occupying the forward observer seat went into the electronics bay to assist the second officer with the operation of the nose wheel well light. At 23.41:40 Miami approach contacted the flight and granted the crew's request to turn around by clearing him for a left turn heading 180 deg. At 23.42:05 the first officer suddenly realized that the altitude had dropped. Just seven seconds afterwards, while in a left bank of 28deg, the TriStar's no.1 engine struck the ground, followed by the left main gear. The aircraft disintegrated, scattering wreckage over an area of flat marshland, covering a 1600ft x 300ft area.

Download the full NTSB report

Transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)