Boeing 757-232 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, November 13, 1992
On November 13, 1992 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Boeing 757-232, registered N619DL, was involved in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Hartsfield Intl.). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 187 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE PROCEDURES AND TRAINING OF GROUND PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE AIRCRAFT PUSH BACK OPERATIONS BY COMPANY MANAGEMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 1992 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Hartsfield Intl.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 187 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-232 · all 757-232s on the register
- Registration
- N619DL · registry record · serial 22909
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PUSH BACK OPERATIONS FROM THE TERMINAL GATE. THE GROUND CREWMAN, WHO WAS SERVING AS A WING WALKER IN THE PUSH BACK AT THE TIME, WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING A WHEEL CHOCK FROM BEHIND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AT THE TIME THE PUSH BACK BEGAN, AND HIS LEG WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE WHEEL AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRLINE'S GROUND OPERATIONS MANUAL AND TRAINING OF GROUND PERSONNEL DID NOT INCLUDE PROCEDURES TO ASSURE THAT WING WALKERS AND OTHER GROUND PERSONNEL WERE CLEAR OF THE LANDING GEAR, AND IN THE PROPER POSITION, PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF BUSH BACK.
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 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: 21,400 hours in all; 203 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 223,800 lb
- Seats: 232
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW 2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ATL at 9:55 pm
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from ATL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 180 |
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.
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.