Boeing 747-4F6B and Boeing 747-SP accident near Los Angeles, California, June 7, 1999
On June 7, 1999 at about 6:16 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 747-4F6B (N751PR) and Boeing 747-SP (FGTOM), were involved in the same accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). No one was hurt; 699 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Airport management's failure to ensure that its current operating procedure, which required the arriving airplane to power into the terminal gate, was being used. Also causal was (1) the ground service company's utilization of an outdated arrival procedure that directed the arriving airplane to stop short of the gate, thereby obstructing the taxilane; and (2) the ground service company's utilization of a nonstandard marshalling hand signal which was, accordingly, misinterpreted by the departing airplane's crew. A contributing factor was the departing airplane's first officer's misjudged evaluation of wing tip clearance.
Airport management's failure to ensure that its current operating procedure, which required the arriving airplane to power into the terminal gate, was being used. Also causal was (1) the ground service company's utilization of an outdated arrival procedure that directed the arriving airplane to stop short of the gate, thereby obstructing the taxilane; and (2) the ground service company's utilization of a nonstandard marshalling hand signal which was, accordingly, misinterpreted by the departing airplane's crew. A contributing factor was the departing airplane's first officer's misjudged evaluation of wing tip clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1999 · about 6:16 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 699 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 747-4F6B 747-400 · all 747-4F6Bs on the register
- Registration
- N751PR · no longer on the register · serial 27261
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 747-SP · all 747-SPs on the register
- Registration
- FGTOM · no longer on the register · serial 21253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747-4F6B final · quoted from the NTSB record
At night, a Boeing 747-4F6B, N751PR, taxied into a Boeing 747 SP-44, F-GTOM. During the collision, N751PR was proceeding westbound on taxilane "C" for its planned departure for Manila. F-GTOM had landed from France and was standing short of its assigned gate 101. F-GTOM was oriented in a northwesterly direction, and its left wing was extending onto taxilane "C". Six ground service personnel were in proximity to F-GTOM, awaiting the connection of a tow tractor to pull it into the gate at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). During the collision sequence, N751PR impacted the aft portion of F-GTOM's left wing. N751PR's right wing's winglet was severed off and F-GTOM's left wing was substantially damaged. ATC had cleared the departing N751PR to taxi past the standing F-GTOM and make a 90-degree turn onto a nearby taxiway. The ground crew's wing walkers for the standing airplane were aware that its left wing was partially blocking taxilane "C." One of the wing walkers issued its company-authorized "engine operating" signal that was observed by N751PR's crew. This nonstandard signal was interpreted by the departing airplane's crew as an "all clear to taxi" signal in accordance with the standard hand signals published in the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual and by its airline. The collision occurred as the departing airplane commenced a sharp left turn, from the centerline of taxilane "C" toward a perpendicular taxiway. During the turn the effective length of the airplane's wing increased. The right wing tip was not visible to the captain, and he relied upon his first officer and crewmembers to monitor its proximity to the standing airplane. However, after passing abeam the standing airplane's empennage and observing the wing walker's "all clear signal," the first officer redirected his attention toward their new course and away from the standing airplane's left wing. Due to a lack of available ground area, and to accommodate the airport's need for additional airplane movement areas, the FAA had approved a reduction in clearance between the terminal gates and the adjacent taxiway/taxilane. Airport management was aware of the collision hazard related to the proximity between taxilane "C" and adjacent terminal gates. During the previous 5-year-period, three other collisions had occurred between Boeing 747 airplanes on the taxilane. TBIT airport management personnel were responsible for enforcing published airport rules that required the arriving Boeing 747 SP-44 (F-GTOM) to power into gate 101, which was equipped with an operative docking light guidance system. However, this guidance system had not been used by the contract ground service company for several years. The TBIT management personnel failed to enforce the policy and allowed the ground service personnel to stop the arriving F-GTOM short of gate 101 thus partially blocking taxilane "C." The ground personnel, using their outdated airport rules manual (that directed a tow-in procedure), planned to utilize a tow tractor to pull the airplane the remaining distance to the gate. This was contrary to the revised manual, which required a power-in procedure. Airport management had failed to ensure that all manual holders were using updated versions of the manual.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747-SP final · quoted from the NTSB record
At night, a Boeing 747-4F6B, N751PR, taxied into a Boeing 747 SP-44, F-GTOM. During the collision, N751PR was proceeding westbound on taxilane "C" for its planned departure for Manila. F-GTOM had landed from France and was standing short of its assigned gate 101. F-GTOM was oriented in a northwesterly direction, and its left wing was extending onto taxilane "C". Six ground service personnel were in proximity to F-GTOM, awaiting the connection of a tow tractor to pull it into the gate at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). During the collision sequence, N751PR impacted the aft portion of F-GTOM's left wing. N751PR's right wing's winglet was severed off and F-GTOM's left wing was substantially damaged. ATC had cleared the departing N751PR to taxi past the standing F-GTOM and make a 90-degree turn onto a nearby taxiway. The ground crew's wing walkers for the standing airplane were aware that its left wing was partially blocking taxilane "C." One of the wing walkers issued its company-authorized "engine operating" signal that was observed by N751PR's crew. This nonstandard signal was interpreted by the departing airplane's crew as an "all clear to taxi" signal in accordance with the standard hand signals published in the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual and by its airline. The collision occurred as the departing airplane commenced a sharp left turn, from the centerline of taxilane "C" toward a perpendicular taxiway. During the turn the effective length of the airplane's wing increased. The right wing tip was not visible to the captain, and he relied upon his first officer and crewmembers to monitor its proximity to the standing airplane. However, after passing abeam the standing airplane's empennage and observing the wing walker's "all clear signal," the first officer redirected his attention toward their new course and away from the standing airplane's left wing. Due to a lack of available ground area, and to accommodate the airport's need for additional airplane movement areas, the FAA had approved a reduction in clearance between the terminal gates and the adjacent taxiway/taxilane. Airport management was aware of the collision hazard related to the proximity between taxilane "C" and adjacent terminal gates. During the previous 5-year-period, three other collisions had occurred between Boeing 747 airplanes on the taxilane. TBIT airport management personnel were responsible for enforcing published airport rules that required the arriving Boeing 747 SP-44 (F-GTOM) to power into gate 101, which was equipped with an operative docking light guidance system. However, this guidance system had not been used by the contract ground service company for several years. The TBIT management personnel failed to enforce the policy and allowed the ground service personnel to stop the arriving F-GTOM short of gate 101 thus partially blocking taxilane "C." The ground personnel, using their outdated airport rules manual (that directed a tow-in procedure), planned to utilize a tow tractor to pull the airplane the remaining distance to the gate. This was contrary to the revised manual, which required a power-in procedure. Airport management had failed to ensure that all manual holders were using updated versions of the manual.
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 for the Boeing 747-4F6B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,700 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,100 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 885 in this make and model; 290 in the last 90 days; 195 in the last 30 days; 2,150 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 16, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,267 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 1, 1999; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 875,000 lb
- Seats: 461
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF6-8C2B1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Philippine Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 6:12 am
- Destination: MNL Manila
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25R, 12,091 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:16 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 20 | |||
| Passengers | 405 |
The factual record for the Boeing 747-SP from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,046 hours in all; 182 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 10,427 as pilot in command; 1,312 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 5, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 66,851 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 29, 1999; 489 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 701,000 lb
- Seats: 362
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7J (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FPO Paris at 6:10 pm
- Destination: LAX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25L, 11,096 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 13 | |||
| Passengers | 261 |
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.