Boeing 737-49R accident near Orlando, Florida, July 2, 2000
On July 2, 2000 at about 3:42 pm local time, a Boeing 737-49R, registered N460PR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 128 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's failure to stop the aircraft when given a stop signal by the ground marshaller and his failure to turn the aircraft when given a turn signal by the ground marshaller as he taxied into the gate resulting in the aircraft's left wing colliding with ground equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2000 · about 3:42 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 128 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-49R · all 737-49Rs on the register
- Registration
- N460PR · no longer on the register · serial 28881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at the gate the captain observed another aircraft still parked at the gate. After holding away from the gate the other aircraft was pushed away and the captain began to taxi into the gate. A ground crewman signaled the captain to stop, but the captain continued to taxi into the gate. Another ground crewman then signaled the captain to stop, and again he continued to taxi into the gate. The ground crewman then directed the captain to turn to the right, to avoid ground equipment. The captain continued to taxi straight ahead and a short time later the left wing of the aircraft collided with a cargo container loader, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft's wing. A FAA inspector was riding on the cockpit jumpseat, performing an enroute inspection of the flight, and observed the accident.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,920 hours in all; 1,844 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 6,340 as pilot in command; 475 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,427 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 22, 2000; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 143,500 lb
- Seats: 154
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm CFM56-3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pro Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: MCO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MCO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 122 |
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.