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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 2023 · about 1:30 am local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- New York, New York · John F. Kennedy International · cases near this airport · 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 other cases naming the electrical power
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N337JB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Embraer ERJ 190 E190 and E195 48 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Embraer 661 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Ge CF34-10E6 18 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Ge CF34-10E6 18 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- John F Kennedy International · nearest airport
- Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport · departed from
- John F Kennedy International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 248 in the last ten years
- New York 6,659 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DCA23LA191.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.