Boeing 727-232 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, May 24, 1995
On May 24, 1995 at about 4:48 pm local time, a Boeing 727-232, registered N489DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 136 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE GROUND PUSHBACK CREW TO FOLLOW DELTA AIRLINES PUSHBACK PROCEDURES AND PLACE A SIGNALMAN FORWARD OF THE AIRCRAFT IN VIEW OF THE CAPTAIN DURING PUSHBACK. THIS RESULTED IN THE CAPTAIN NOT BEING AWARE THAT THE TUG TOW BAR HAD DISCONNECTED AND THE NEED FOR HIM TO APPLY BRAKES TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1995 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 136 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-232 · all 727-232s on the register
- Registration
- N489DA · registry record · serial 21019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE WITH TWO ENGINES OPERATING DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE APU. THE TUG DRIVER WAS ASSISTED BY TWO WING WALKERS. THERE WAS NO SIGNALMAN IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT AS REQUIRED BY DELTA AIRLINES PUSHBACK PROCEDURES. AFTER PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT BACK AND TURNING THE TAIL TO THE LEFT THE TUG WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE TUG MOVED FORWARD TO STRAIGHTEN THE NOSE GEAR THE SAFETY PIN ON THE TUG END OF THE TOW BAR SHEERED. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE TUG AND ROLLED FORWARD STRIKING THE TUG WITH THE RIGHT FRONT AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FORWARD THE TUG DRIVER'S HEADSET BECAME DISCONNECT FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE COCKPIT CREW WAS LOST.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,500 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 187 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60,114 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 6, 1995; 600 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 152
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-15A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI at 4:48 pm
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from PBI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 130 |
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.