Boeing 727-200 accident near Jamaica, New York, August 31, 1998
On August 31, 1998, a Boeing 727-200, registered N722DH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamaica, New York (John F Kennedy Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right main landing gear caused by fatigue cracking and stress corrosion cracking of the trunnion bearing support fitting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1998
- Place
- Jamaica, New York · John F Kennedy Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N722DH · registry record · serial 19861
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the No. 2 engine failed and shutdown procedures for the No. 2 engine were accomplished. The flight crew declared an emergency and requested to return to the airport. On approach, an engine out go-around was required as ATC had instructed the flight crew of a B-747 to "position and hold" on the end of the runway. The first officer was the pilot flying. Following an uneventful touchdown, as the airplane slowed to about 80 knots, the captain took control of the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the right main landing gear (MLG) collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop on the runway. Examination of the No. 2 engine revealed that 80 percent of the main fuel pump main drive shaft was worn to the spline root. The examination also revealed that the grease used to lubricate the main drive shaft output splines was not the authorized grease specified per OHM 73-11-1 or MIL-G-81322. Additionally, the magnetic seal compression O-ring that rides on the drive gear journal outer diameter was hardened and exhibited inner diameter axial cracks. The component manufacturer indicated that the failure of the magnetic seal was the first such reported incident in 30 years; however, it agreed to review operational data from airlines to reevaluate the mean time between overhaul intervals for the seal and to recommend an inspection interval, as necessary. Examination of the right MLG revealed a fracture failure of the trunnion bearing support fitting that was caused by fatigue cracking and stress corrosion cracking.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 28, 1998
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 16, 1998
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,085 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 16, 1997
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50,861 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 17, 1996; 2,364 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 177,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT8D-7B (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT8D-7B (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: P&W JT8D-7B (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CVG Covington/Cinci KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22R, 11,351 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
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.
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 DCA98MA084.