Boeing 737-900ER and Boeing 777-223 incident near Queens, New York, January 14, 2023

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The American Airlines flight 106 (AAL106) crew’s surface navigation error due to distractions caused by their performance of concurrent operational tasks during taxi, which resulted in a loss of situational awareness. Contributing to the incident was the air traffic control tower team’s nondetection of the AAL106 crew’s deviation from taxi instructions while performing concurrent operational tasks; the timing of the runway status light system, which activated too late to prevent the AAL106 crew from crossing the runway hold short line; and American Airlines’ lack of adequate risk controls to prevent concurrent flight crew tasks from leading to distraction, loss of situational awareness, and deviation from an authorized taxi clearance. Reducing the severity of the incident, and likely preventing an accident, was the activation of the ASDE-X warning in the air traffic control tower and the local controller’s prompt cancellation of DAL1943’s takeoff clearance.

The American Airlines flight 106 (AAL106) crew’s surface navigation error due to distractions caused by their performance of concurrent operational tasks during taxi, which resulted in a loss of situational awareness. Contributing to the incident was the air traffic control tower team’s nondetection of the AAL106 crew’s deviation from taxi instructions while performing concurrent operational tasks; the timing of the runway status light system, which activated too late to prevent the AAL106 crew from crossing the runway hold short line; and American Airlines’ lack of adequate risk controls to prevent concurrent flight crew tasks from leading to distraction, loss of situational awareness, and deviation from an authorized taxi clearance. Reducing the severity of the incident, and likely preventing an accident, was the activation of the ASDE-X warning in the air traffic control tower and the local controller’s prompt cancellation of DAL1943’s takeoff clearance.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date

January 14, 2023 · about 1:44 am local time

Place

Queens, New York · John F. Kennedy International · map

Type

Incident

Injuries

No one was hurt; 308 people were on board or involved.

Weather

visual conditions (good weather)

Aircraft 1

Boeing 737-900ER, built 2019 · all 737-900ERs on the register

Registration

N914DU · registry record · serial 62782

Damage

Not recorded

Flight

Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)

Aircraft 2

Boeing 777-223, built 2001 · all 777-223s on the register

Registration

N754AN · registry record · serial 30262

Damage

Not recorded

Flight

Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)