Page:CAB Accident Report, Northeast Airlines Flight 715.pdf/2

 - 2 - "65 $55; crew change was effected. There were no mechanical discrepanices reported nor was any a1rcraft maintenance performed at Boston.

The flight departed Boston at 1133 for LaGuardia Airport on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance to ma1nta1n 8,000 feet.

Flight 715 proceeded normally to the New York area and canceled the IFR flight plan With the New York A1r Route Traffic Control Center approxnmately 25 miles from the LaGuardla Airport. (Visual flight conditions prevailed along the route of flight and 1n the New York area.)

In the v1c1n1ty of Stamford, Connecticut, the flight contacted LaGuardia approach control and was informed that runway 31 was in use. The flight was also given the current f1e1d NOTAME/Which was: ”. . . runway three one landing length five thousand eight hundred and th1rteen feet, men and heavy equipment at the departure end of the runway, cranes Wlthin one-quarter mile up to one hundred feet in height ”

When over New Rochelle, New York, the fllght contacted LaGuardia TUWer and was instructed to report over the field for landing on runway 31.

The captain stated that in the v1c1n1ty of Eastchester Bay, at an a1t1tude of approximately 4,000 feet, the flaps were extended to the 20-degree p051t10n. When about 1-1/2 miles west of the airport, at an altitude of approx1mate1y 3,500 feet, the aircraft was turned onto the downw1nd leg The LaGuardia Tower then cleared the flight to land on runway 31 noting that the alrcraft appeared to be "high" in the traffic pattern.

Wing flaps were lowered to the 25-degree p051t10n on the downwind lag and the aircraft Was turned onto the base leg approx1mately two miles south of the airport at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet. The landing gear was then extended and the landing checkllst completed. Follow1ng thls, the flaps were lowered to the 30-degree p051t10n.

As the aircraft was turned onto the final approach the propellers were advanced to 2300 r.p m. At an altitude of approx1mately 1,000 feet the flaps were lowared to 40 degrees The captain stated that at this point he noticed that the VASI lights were on and that both sets of light bars were indicating white. When the a1rcraft was an estnnated 1-1/2 miles from the approach and of runway 31 at an altitude of approxnnately 600 feet, the upw1nd 11ghts were obServed to progressively change from pink to red with the downwind lights re- maining con51stent1y white. The captain stated that it was at thls point he dec1ded to utllize the VASI lights to establish the final approach flightpath. He further stated that the a1rspeed was then about 120 knots and that he ad- Justed the rate of descent so as to remain on the VASI approach path.

As the aircraft approached the runway threshold the captain called for 50 degrees of flaps. The flrst officer stated that he then placed the flap selector

_§/ NOTAM - Notlce to Airmen.