Boeing 737 823 and Airbus A321 231 accident near Arlington, Virginia, September 30, 2017
On September 30, 2017 at about 2:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737 823 (N841NN) and Airbus A321 231 (N982VJ), were involved in the same accident near Arlington, Virginia (Reagan National airport). No one was hurt; 301 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure N841NNs captain to maintain appropriate clearance from N982VJ, which was stopped on the taxiway.
The failure N841NNs captain to maintain appropriate clearance from N982VJ, which was stopped on the taxiway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2017 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Virginia · Reagan National · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 301 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737 823 823, built 2010 · all 737 823s on the register
- Registration
- N841NN · registry record · serial 30914
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus A321 231 231, built 2012 · all A321 231s on the register
- Registration
- N982VJ · registry record · serial 5374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737 823 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 30, 2017, about 1050 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 1533, a Boeing 737-800, N841NN, collided with American Airlines flight 419, an Airbus A321, N982VJ, on a taxiway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), Arlington, Virginia. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane. Both flights were scheduled domestic passenger flights, operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. N841NN originated at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida, and had 108 passengers and crew onboard. N982VJ originated at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, (KDFW) Dallas, Texas, and had 191 passengers and crew on board. According to flight crew statements N982VJ was stopped on taxiway K waiting for their assigned arrival gate to be vacated. As N841NN attempted to pass N982VJ, the left wingtip of N841NN impacted the left horizontal stabilizer of N982VJ, causing substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Airbus A321 231 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 30, 2017, about 1050 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 1533, a Boeing 737-800, N841NN, collided with American Airlines flight 419, an Airbus A321, N982VJ, on a taxiway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), Arlington, Virginia. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane. Both flights were scheduled domestic passenger flights, operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. N841NN originated at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida, and had 108 passengers and crew onboard. N982VJ originated at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, (KDFW) Dallas, Texas, and had 191 passengers and crew on board. According to flight crew statements N982VJ was stopped on taxiway K waiting for their assigned arrival gate to be vacated. As N841NN attempted to pass N982VJ, the left wingtip of N841NN impacted the left horizontal stabilizer of N982VJ, causing substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer.
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 for the Boeing 737 823 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,993 hours in all; 8,842 in this make and model; 8,799 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2017
- 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: 710 hours in all; 710 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 12, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 174,200 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MIA Miami FL at 12:27 pm
- Destination: DCA Arlington Va VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 104 |
The factual record for the Airbus A321 231 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,043 hours in all; 2,698 in this make and model; 5,889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2017
- 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: 1,300 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 20, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 205,030 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: DFW Dallas Fort Wor TX at 12:03 pm
- Destination: DCA Arlington Va VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 185 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA17CA214.