Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83 accident near Los Angeles Intl Airport, California, December 26, 2008
On December 26, 2008 at about 4:59 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83, registered N9617R, was substantially damaged in an accident during pushback/towing near Los Angeles Intl Airport, California (Los Angeles Intl Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 129 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The first officer's unannounced advancement of the left engine throttle, which led to a sustained application of high thrust that caused the airplane to impact the tug.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2008 · about 4:59 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles Intl Airport, California · Los Angeles Intl Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 129 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83 · all DC-9-83s on the register
- Registration
- N9617R · registry record · serial 53564
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first officer indicated that he advanced the left engine throttle during the airplane's taxi in order to clear what he suspected was a stuck bleed air valve. Although he suspected that he had only moved the throttle "about an inch", FDR data revealed it had been advanced to and remained at an extremely high power setting for approximately 28 seconds. This action, which occurred without the knowledge of the captain or the tug operator and without application of the parking brakes, resulted in a substantial increase in thrust that overwhelmed the tug's resistance until the airplane impacted the tug.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during pushback/towing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Copilot
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P & W JT8D SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W JT8D SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles Intl Airport CA
- Destination: DFW Dallas/Ft Worth TX
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 124 |
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.