Boeing 727-200 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 9, 1988
On September 9, 1988 at about 7:14 pm local time, a Boeing 727-200, registered N729RW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Minneapolis/St.Paul Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 71 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE CAPTAIN TO FOLLOW COMPANY PUSHBACK PROCEDURES AND NOT GETTING A RELEASE BEFORE STARTING TO TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1988 · about 7:14 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Minneapolis/St.Paul Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 71 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N729RW · no longer on the register · serial 21742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER PUSHBACK FROM THE JETWAY, THE AIRPLANE HIT A GROUND HANDLING VEHICLE (TUG) AS THE FLT CREW STARTED TO TAXI FOR TAKEOFF. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AFTER PUSHBACK, THE GROUND CREW INFORMED THE FLT CREW (VIA INTERCOM) THAT THE BYPASS PIN WAS REMOVED & THE STEERING WAS CONNECTED. THE GROUND CREWMAN ENDED THE CONVERSTATION BY STATING 'YOU GENTLEMEN HAVE A NICE TRIP, SEE YOU ANOTHER DAY.' THE INTERCOM WAS DISCONNECTED & THE CAPTAIN STARTED TO TAXI, BEFORE RECEIVING A VISUAL SIGNAL FROM THE GROUND CREW & BEFORE THE TUG WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE'S PATH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE HIT THE TOP OF THE TUG & DAMAGED THE LOWER RIGHT PART OF THE FORWARD FUSELAGE (BELOW THE COCKPIT WINDOWS).
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: 25,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 194,800 lb
- Seats: 152
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-17R (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: YWG Winnipeg,Canada OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 65 |
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.