Boeing 767 accident near New York, New York, April 20, 2009
On April 20, 2009 at about 7:24 pm local time, a Boeing 767, registered CNRNT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near New York, New York (John F. Kennedy International airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 220 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 input of full nose down elevator at touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2009 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · John F. Kennedy International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 220 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767 300 · all 767s on the register
- Registration
- CNRNT · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial approach, gusty wind conditions could be seen in the recorder airspeed data consistent with the weather conditions broadcast to the flight crew (16 knots gusting to 24 knots). As a result, the flight crew added an appropriate wind additive to the reference landing speed (Vref). The airplane touched down in the touchdown zone approximately 1,600 feet from the threshold with a recorded normal acceleration (Nz) consistent with a “firm” landing. As the main gear touched down, a full nose down column was applied that produced a very high nose-down pitch rate, which resulted in a hard nose gear touchdown. The recorded normal acceleration at nose gear touchdown was 1.8 g, however, the actual load applied at the nose gear was much higher because the accelerometers are located in the main gear wheel well. The peak nose gear load experienced at nose gear contact exceeded the design-limit load by as much as 46%. The recorded normal and pitch accelerations, calculated data, and estimated nose gear loads confirm that the aircraft experienced a bending moment that exceeded both the design requirements and the structural capability of the fuselage.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Copilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,754 hours in all; 3,288 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 7,415 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 22, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,621 hours in all; 2,149 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,543 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 20, 2009
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF6-80C2B7F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF6-80C2B7F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Royal Air Maroc
The flight
- Departed from: GMMN Casablanca at 10:46 am
- Destination: KJFK New York NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 04R, 8,400 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from KJFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 8 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 210 |
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.