Boeing 747 412 accident near Los Angeles, California, February 3, 2020
On February 3, 2020 at about 11:00 am local time, a Boeing 747 412, registered N703CK, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An unavoidable collision with a garbage dumpster that had blown into the path of the airplane during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 2020 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747 412 No Series · all 747 412s on the register
- Registration
- N703CK · registry record · serial 24226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 3, 2020, about 0306 Pacific standard time, Kalitta Air flight 368, a Boeing 747-400, N703CK, collided with a garbage bin during the takeoff roll on runway 25R at Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), Los Angeles, California. There were no injuries to the seven passengers and flight crew onboard and the airplane was substantially damaged. The domestic cargo flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 supplemental from KLAX to Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The captain stated that he was the pilot flying and, during the takeoff roll on runway 25R, between 80 and 110 knots (V1 was 131 knots), he noticed a large object "moving right to left at a good speed". A fraction of a second later it passed under the nose and impacted the airplane. He said that the impact was loud, and the airplane "settled", followed by severe vibration in the airplane. He immediately rejected the takeoff and stopped on the runway. At the time of the takeoff, winds were reported to be 15 knots, gusting to 28 knots, from 340 degrees. Authorities at the Los Angeles World Airports determined that the object blown onto the runway was a garbage dumpster.
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 takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,404 hours in all; 5,200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,180 hours in all; 144 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 7,284 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 99,338.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 18, 2019
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW4056 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW4056 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Pratt & Whitney PW4056 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Pratt & Whitney PW4056 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kalitta Air
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25R, 10,951 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on January 6, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.