Boeing 727-227 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 14, 1990
On March 14, 1990 at about 5:15 am local time, a Boeing 727-227, registered N271AF, suffered minor damage in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 41 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNAUTHORIZED INTRUSION ONTO THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT BY A PEDESTRIAN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1990 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 41 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-227 · all 727-227s on the register
- Registration
- N271AF · registry record · serial 22003
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BOEING 727-227 STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN ON RUNWAY 26L. THE CAPTAIN INDICATED THAT THE PEDESTRIAN WAS ON THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 105 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED WHEN THE PEDESTRIAN WAS IDENTIFIED. THE CAPTAIN IMMEDIATELY VEERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE COLLISION AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT CREW FELT AN IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TAXIED TO THE RAMP. POST FLIGHT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE PEDESTRIAN WAS STRUCK BY THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY, THE PEDESTRIAN, A 40 YEAR OLD MALE, WAS A MENTAL PATIENT AT A NEARBY HOSPITAL. THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE PEDESTRIAN WAS NOT AUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THE RUNWAY. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE BREACH OF AIRPORT SECURITY DID NOT REVEAL HOW THE PEDESTRIAN GAINED ACCESS TO THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,720 hours in all; 9,600 in this make and model; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,173 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 11, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 191,000 lb
- Seats: 144
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-17 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 5:15 am
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26L, 10,300 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,100 ft; scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:46 am from PHX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 35 |
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.