Boeing 727 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, February 1, 1990
On February 1, 1990 at about 4:50 am local time, a Boeing 727, registered N519FT, suffered minor damage in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE TUG OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TUG, POSSIBLY DUE TO HAVING INADVERTENTLY PLACED OR CAUGHT HIS BUILT-UP, STEEL-TOE BOOT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1990 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727 · all 727s on the register
- Registration
- N519FT · no longer on the register · serial 19387
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BOEING 727 WAS CHOCKED AWAITING A TUG. A MECHANIC/RAMP EMPLOYEE BROUGHT A TUG AND TOW BAR TO THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER APPROACHING THE AIRCRAFT, HE STOPPED THE TUG, DISCONNECTED THE TOW BAR FROM THE TUG AND CONNECTED IT TO THE NOSE GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE RE-BOARDED THE TUG TO BRING IT CLOSER TO THE TOW BAR FOR ATTACHMENT. RATHER THAN STOPPING, THE TUG CONTINUED FORWARD AND CONTACTED THE BAR, WHICH SLID OFF THE FACE OF THE TUG. THE TUG CONTINUED FORWARD AND CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE, CRUSHING THE EMPLOYEE BETWEEN THE TUG AND THE AIRPLANE. THE TUG DRIVER WAS WEARING A BUILT-UP SHOE ON HIS RIGHT FOOT. TESTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT WITH THE SHOE PLACED UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL OF THE TUG, BRAKING ACTION OF THE TUG WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SCUFF MARKS AND SIGNS OF SCRAPING WERE NOTED ON THE TOE OF THE BOOT, THOUGH THE SOURCE OF THE SCRAPE/SCUFF MARKS WAS NOT VERIFIED.
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
- Flight time: 9,100 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 169,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI
- Destination: IND
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from IND
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.