Boeing 737 accident near New York, New York, June 19, 2010
On June 19, 2010 at about 10:11 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered N3730B, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) not oper) near New York, New York (John F. Kennedy International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a baggage cart impacting the airplane and causing substantial damage as a result of the jet blast from a passing airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2010 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · John F. Kennedy International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 832 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N3730B · registry record · serial 30538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a company flight safety investigator, the aircraft was parked at the gate while the first officer and four flight attendants were aboard preparing for the upcoming flight. Baggage handlers on the ramp were loading baggage onto the aircraft when the jet blast from a taxing Boeing 767-400ER blew an empty baggage cart from its parked position, which collided with the left side of the aft service panel, causing a 15 by 18 in puncture through the aircraft skin and severing two stringers.According to the baggage handler, after he had staged the empty baggage cart into location among two other carts, he "made sure that it was locked" by giving the cart a "push" from the left side. He stated that the cart did not "budge" after he pushed it. A video of the accident showed the cart being blown from the jet blast as it travelled across the ramp and impacted the left side of the aircraft. The other two baggage carts remained unmoved.
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
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Ground crew
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › (general) › Effect on equipment
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,599 hours in all; 7,427 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 7,484 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,854 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 6, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 173,000 lb
- Seats: 152
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm CFM56 7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: CFM56 7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KJFK New York NY
- Destination: KSLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from KJFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N3730B 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.