Douglas DC-9-30 accident near Horseheads, New York, January 18, 1992
On January 18, 1992 at about 3:28 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-30, registered N964VJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horseheads, New York (Elmira/Corning Regional airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured; 39 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND GUST DURING LANDING FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1992 · about 3:28 pm local time
- Place
- Horseheads, New York · Elmira/Corning Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 39 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-30 · all DC-9-30s on the register
- Registration
- N964VJ · no longer on the register · serial 47373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, GUSTY WINDS WERE FORECAST FOR THE SURFACE TO HIGHER ALTIUTDES. THE COPILOT WAS FLYING AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT FOUR MILES OUT FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 24. THE FLIGHTCREW RECIEVED PROGRESSIVE WIND INFORMATION DURING THE APPROACH; THE LAST REPORT WAS WIND AT 310 DEGRESS AND 25 KNOTS. THE APPROACH SPEED WAS V REF + 10. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHTCREW, DURING THE LANDING FLARE A WIND GUST OCCURRED, AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE GUST STOPPED AND THEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE RUNWAY AND LANDED HARD. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUSELAGE CRACKED NEAR WHERE THE WINGS WERE ATTACHED AND THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BENT DOWN ABOUT SEVEN DEGREES.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 9,500 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 59,251 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 17, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 106,000 lb
- Seats: 116
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ITH Ithaca NY at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ELM, 999 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 34 |
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 N964VJ 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.