Date: December 29, 1972
Type: Lockheed L-1011
Registration: N310EA
Operator: Eastern Air Lines
Where: Miami, FL
Report No. NTSB-AAR-73-14
Report Date: June 14, 1973
Pages: 45

An Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1011 crashed at 2342 eastern standard 
time, December 29, 1972, 18. 7 miles west-northwest of Miami 
International Airport, Miami, Florida. The aircraft was destroyed.  Of 
the 163 passengers and 13 crewmembers aboard, 94 passengers and 5 
crewmembers received fatal injuries. Two survivors died later as a result 
of their injuries.

Following a missed approach because of a suspected nose gear malfunction, 
the aircraft climbed to 2, 000 feet mean sea level and proceeded on a 
westerly heading. The three flight crewmembers and a jumpseat occupant 
became engrossed in the malfunction.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable 
cause of this accident was the failure of the flightcrew to monitor the 
flight instrument during the final 4 minutes of flight, and to detect an 
unexpected descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground. 
Preoccupation with a malfunction of the nose landing gear position 
indicating system distracted the crew's attention from the instruments 
and allowed the descent to go unnoticed.

As a result of the investigation of this accident, the Safety Board has 
made recommendations to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration.