Boeing 757-232 and Boeing 757-222 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, February 20, 1996
On February 20, 1996 at about 4:02 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 757-232 (N622DL) and Boeing 757-222 (N524UA), were involved in the same accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International airport). No one was hurt; 91 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew of the Delta Boeing 757, N622DL, and their failure to follow procedures and directives by not closely following the ramp marshals' signals.
inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew of the Delta Boeing 757, N622DL, and their failure to follow procedures and directives by not closely following the ramp marshals' signals.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1996 · about 4:02 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 91 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 757-232 · all 757-232s on the register
- Registration
- N622DL · registry record · serial 22912
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 757-222 · all 757-222s on the register
- Registration
- N524UA · registry record · serial 5224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 757-232 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Delta Boeing 757, N622DL, was departing the ramp area in a right turn to begin the taxi for takeoff. The United Boeing 757, N524UA, was parked at an adjoining gate pending an imminent departure. As the Delta 757 came closer to the parked United 757, ground marshals for the Delta airplane believed that the left wing of the Delta airplane was likely to strike the left wing of the United airplane. The marshals gave the emergency 'STOP' signal, but the Delta airplane continued moving and struck the wing of the United airplane. The Delta airplane kept moving and continued towards the active runway. The Delta crew was advised via radio to return to the ramp area, where they were advised of the collision.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 757-222 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Delta Boeing 757, N622DL, was departing the ramp area in a right turn to begin the taxi for takeoff. The United Boeing 757, N524UA, was parked at an adjoining gate pending an imminent departure. As the Delta 757 came closer to the parked United 757, ground marshals for the Delta airplane believed that the left wing of the Delta airplane was likely to strike the left wing of the United airplane. The marshals gave the emergency 'STOP' signal, but the Delta airplane continued moving and struck the wing of the United airplane. The Delta airplane kept moving and continued towards the active runway. The Delta crew was advised via radio to return to the ramp area, where they were advised of the collision.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Boeing 757-232 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 2,484 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,708 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 14, 1996; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 223,800 lb
- Seats: 190
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FAI
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: -6°F (-21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 am from FAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 39 |
The factual record for the Boeing 757-222 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,995 hours in all; 1,434 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,407 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 11, 1995; 3,562 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 231,000 lb
- Seats: 195
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 2037M (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 38 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N622DL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.