Departure[1] (SID). Shortly after takeoff the flight reported out of 1,000 feet and was instructed to turn left to a heading of 160 degrees. At approximately 1823, upon request, the flight reported its altitude at 2,500 feet and was instructed by Departure Control to turn left to a heading of 100 degrees. Shortly thereafter EAL 663 was further cleared to 8,000 feet and instructed to turn right to a heading of 150 degrees. The flight acknowledged this clearance and reported leaving 3,000 feet.
At approximately 1824, in response to another query by Departure Control, EAL 663 reported leaving 3,500 feet at which time the flight was instructed to turn left to a heading of 090 degrees.
After approximately 1825, in response to still another inquiry concerning altitude, EAL 663 reported, "Out of 3,700 (feet)." Twenty-seven seconds Inter Departure Control instructed the flight to "... turn right now, heading one seven zero to Victor one thirty nine, traffic 2 o'clock five miles northeast bound below you." The flight responded, "OK we have the traffic, turning one seven zero.
At 1825:36[2] Departure Control instructed EAL 663 to contact the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) on 125.1 mcs. The flight replied, "Good night." This was the last communication from EAL 663.
During the time that EAL 663 was departing, Pan American World Airways Flight 212 (PAA 212), a Boeing 707 on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan from San Juan, Puerto Rico to New York, was approaching to lard at JFK Airport. At approximately 1818, the ARTCC initiated a radar handoff to Kennedy Approach Corn and reported that PAA 212 was then three miles north of the Dutch Intersection.[3]
PAA 212 was subsequently provided with radar vectors to intercept the final approach course to runway 31R and cleared to descend from 10,000 feet to 3,000 feet. At approximately 1824 Approach Control instructed the flight to turn right to a heading of 020 degrees and inquired if the flight had as yet reached 3,000 feet. Approach Control then instructed the flight to report leaving each 300-foot level down to 3,000 feet and advised the flight of "... Traffic at 11 o'clock, six miles southeast bound just climbing out of three (3,000 feet)."
At the public hearing the captain of PAA 212 testified that he observed the traffic, as reported, moving west to east; that it was identified by its flashing beacon; that the other aircraft (beacon) appeared to be in a normal climb slightly above their flight level coming up into the strip of sky visible above the shore lights. He started a turn to 360 degrees as instructed by Approach Control. At about this time, "...the beacon altered direction and to what appeared to be a more southeasterly heading and instead of proceeding from west to east it seemed to alter direction to the right and proceeded in a more
- ↑ Dutch 7 Departure - After takeoff from runway 31L/R, climb on a 290-degree heading to 1,000 feet m.s.l., turn left heading 160 degrees for two minutes. Kennedy VORTAC 224-degree radial at 2,500 feet m.s.l., then via vector to V139; V139 to Dutch Intersection. Cross Riverhead VORTAC 237-degree radial or below 4,000 feet.
- ↑ Times used hereafter when detailed to the second are based on the beginning of the communication associated therewith unless otherwise noted.
- ↑ Intersection of the 170-degree JFK VORTAC radial and the 236-degree New York VORTAC radial, approximately 41 miles south-southwest of Kennedy Airport.
