Page:NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, United Airlines Flight 389.pdf/38

 and strike the water at 2120:38, the aircraft would have to average a descent rate of 9,430 feet per minute, and arrest it so as to strike the water in a nearly level attitude. This calculation does not include any time allowance for initiation or recovery from this steep descent attitude. This was determined to be well outside the operating capabilities of the aircraft. Using the higher speeds and earlier impact times the rate of descent would go up to 15,000 and 30,000 feet per minute while covering ground commensurate with the aircraft's velocity. Therefore, it is determined that the aircraft was below 6,000 feet while conducting the last radio transmission with approach control.

The statements of the traffic controllers and a review of the SAGE readout indicate that the aircraft was decelerating as it approached the Sturgeon Intersection. This action is in accord with the speed restrictions on operating turbojet aircraft in a terminal area.

The statement of the flight crew operating three minutes behind UAL 389 indicated that the base of the broken cloud deck was approximately 8,000-10,000 feet m.s.l., and they could see the lights on shore from about 15 miles off shore. They also stated that there was haze in the area and visibility was fuzzy and unclear. UAL 389 was descending into an area of high traffic density and the crew may well have directed their attention to looking for other aircraft after breaking out of the clouds, rather than descending by use of their flight instruments. Although these considerations may have taken a majority of the crew's attention outside the cockpit no reasonable explanation for their failure to level the aircraft at 6,000 feet, their assigned altitude, can be offered. This is particularly true when one