Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82 accident near Flushing, New York, March 2, 1994
On March 2, 1994 at about 10:59 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82, registered N18835, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flushing, New York (Laguardia airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 30 people had minor injuries; 86 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHTCREW TO COMPLY WITH CHECKLIST PROCEDURES TO TURN ON AN OPERABLE PITOT/STATIC HEAT SYSTEM, RESULTING IN ICE AND/OR SNOW BLOCKAGE OF THE PITOT TUBES THAT PRODUCED ERRONEOUS AIRSPEED INDICATIONS, AND THE FLIGHTCREW'S UNTIMELY RESPONSE TO ANOMALOUS AIRSPEED INDICATIONS WITH THE CONSEQUENT REJECTION OF TAKEOFF AT AN ACTUAL SPEED OF 5 KNOTS ABOVE V1. (NTSB REPORT AAR-95/01)
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1994 · about 10:59 pm local time
- Place
- Flushing, New York · Laguardia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 30 people had minor injuries; 86 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82
- Registration
- N18835 · no longer on the register · serial N18835
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING A REJECTED TAKEOFF, COMING TO REST ON A DIKE AND A TIDAL MUD FLAT. FDR DATA CONFIRMED THAT THE PITOT HEAT HAD NOT BEEN SELECTED 'ON' BY THE FLIGHTCREW. A BUILDUP OF SNOW AND/OR ICE IN THE PITOT/STATIC SYSTEM TUBES AND PORTS RESULTED IN ERRONEOUS AIRSPEED READINGS DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATIONS FROM CHECKLIST PROCEDURES WERE RECORDED ON THE CVR. 19 SECONDS ELAPSED BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THE AIRPLANE ACTUALLY ACCELERATED THROUGH 60 KIAS (THE FIRST MARK ON THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR) AND THE START OF THE REJECTED TAKEOFF.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,448 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 5, 1993; 3,153 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 144,100 lb
- Seats: 146
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-217A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines
The flight
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 23 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:03 pm from LGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 5 | ||
| Passengers | 29 | 81 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.