Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW accident near New York, New York, February 25, 2023
On February 25, 2023 at about 1:30 am local time, a 2011 Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW, registered N337JB, was involved in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near New York, New York (John F. Kennedy International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 99 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Electrical sparking caused by a faulty connection between the aircraft and ground power unit resulting in a serious injury to a ground service agent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 2023 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- New York, New York · John F. Kennedy International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 99 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW, built 2011 · all ERJ 190-100 IGWs on the register
- Registration
- N337JB · registry record · serial 19000473
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 24, 2023, about 20:30 eastern standard time, an Embraer E190, operated by JetBlue Airways as flight 618 from Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport (MSP), Minneapolis, Minnesota to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), had a ground service agent sustain second degree burns while connecting ground electrical power to the airplane after it blocked into Gate 5, at Terminal 5. According to the ground service agent, after connecting the ground power unit (GPU) he noted that electrical power was not being supplied to the airplane, so he went back to the connection point to confirm that power was on when suddenly the connection between the GPU and the airplane sparked and his right shirt sleeve caught fire and his wrist was burned.
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 handling event during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › External power system › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,112 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 15, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 228 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34-10E6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34-10E6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jetblue Airways CORP
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis -St. Paul International MN at 10:46 pm
- Destination: KJFK Queens NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 310° at 22 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 3053.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 95 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 18, 2024. 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 | Employee Statements | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Employee Statements Grd Crew | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DCA23LA191.