Boeing 727-200 and Boeing 727-223 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 26, 1987
On December 26, 1987 at about 3:35 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727-200 (N705AA) and Boeing 727-223 (N893AA), were involved in the same accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Muniz Marin Int'L airport). No one was hurt; 200 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1987 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Muniz Marin Int'L
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 200 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N705AA · registry record · serial 22462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 727-223 · all 727-223s on the register
- Registration
- N893AA · no longer on the register · serial 22009
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-200 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N705AA WAS NUMBER TWO IN POSITION FOR TAKEOFF BEHIND N893AA. N705AA RECEIVED TAKEOFF CLEARANCE FIRST AND AS IT BEGAN TO TAXI TO THE RUNWAY IT'S LEFT WING TIP STRUCK AND PASSED UNDER THE RIGHT WING TIP OF N893AA.
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 727-223 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N705AA WAS NUMBER TWO IN POSITION FOR TAKEOFF BEHIND N893AA. N705AA RECEIVED TAKEOFF CLEARANCE FIRST AND AS IT BEGAN TO TAXI TO THE RUNWAY IT'S LEFT WING TIP STRUCK AND PASSED UNDER THE RIGHT WING TIP OF N893AA.
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 727-200 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 140
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from SJU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 106 |
The factual record for the Boeing 727-223 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: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,357 hours in all; 5,375 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 140
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 82 |
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.