Boeing 727-225 accident near San Antonio, Texas, October 23, 2005
On October 23, 2005, a Boeing 727-225, registered N679MG, was involved in an accident near San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio International airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's improper decision to maneuver a transport category airplane in a confined and unapproved area with engine thrust, which resulted in ground damage and personal injury to an individual.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2005
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Antonio International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-225 · all 727-225s on the register
- Registration
- N679MG · no longer on the register · serial 22557
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The three person flight crew (captain, first officer, and flight engineer) were taxiing a transport category airplane to the active runway in preparation for a positioning flight when they taxied beyond the last access to the runway and into a confined ramp area. A ground controller observed the situation and asked the flight crew if they were able to maneuver the airplane back, or if they wanted a tug to reposition. A crewmember responded that they would maneuver the airplane without ground assistance. In an attempt to turn around, the flight crew selected reverse thrust and backed the airplane toward a private hangar. Then, the flight crew selected forward thrust and the subsequent jet blast damaged two hangars, the contents inside, and seriously injured a person inside one of the hangars. The flight crew then proceeded to the runway and departed. When the flight crew arrived at their destination on the West Coast, they were informed of the damage and later the ground injury. A review of the published Jeppesen airport chart, which was required to be onboard the airplane, revealed that the flight crew had taxied the airplane into an area that was closed to aircraft weighing 59,000 pounds and over; and aircraft operations with over 30 passenger seats was restricted.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,905 hours in all; 3,905 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,440 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2005; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 191,000 lb
- Seats: 182
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grand Holdings INC
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 7:40 pm
- Destination: SAN San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
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 DFW06LA024.