Boeing 767-200ER and Boeing 737-832 accident near Boston, Massachusetts, April 9, 2001
On April 9, 2001 at about 12:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 767-200ER (N328AA) and Boeing 737-832 (N3731T), were involved in the same accident near Boston, Massachusetts (General Edward Lawrence Logan airport). No one was hurt; 271 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The Boeing 767 captain's misjudgment of the distance between his airplane and the stationary Boeing 737, which resulted in a ground collision. A factor was sunglare.
The Boeing 767 captain's misjudgment of the distance between his airplane and the stationary Boeing 737, which resulted in a ground collision. A factor was sunglare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2001 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · General Edward Lawrence Logan · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 271 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 767-200ER · all 767-200ERs on the register
- Registration
- N328AA · registry record · serial 223
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 737-832 · all 737-832s on the register
- Registration
- N3731T · registry record · serial 30775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 767-200ER final · quoted from the NTSB record
Delta Airlines flight 1823, a Boeing 737-800, was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to hold short of runway 27, on taxiway D-1, while American Airlines flight 1547, a Boeing 767-200, was instructed to taxi to runway 27 via taxiway D. While taxiing, the right wing tip of the American 767 struck and substantially damaged the left elevator and horizontal stabilizer of the Delta 737. The flight crew of the Delta 737 reported that the airplane had been holding short of the runway 27 hold line, with the parking brakes set, when they felt a "violent shudder." They then looked back and observed the American 767 taxiing past them on taxiway D. The flight crew from the American 767 reported that the sun was creating a glare on the airplane's windscreen; however, they had observed the Delta 737 holding short, and the captain "felt there was more than adequate clearance to continue." According to an airport diagram, taxiway D was located on the north side of, and parallel to, runway 27. Taxiway D-1 extended at an angle to the northwest from runway 27, to taxiway D. The perpendicular distance between the taxiway D centerline and the runway 27 hold short line was 220 feet. Dimensional data provided by the manufacturer revealed that the overall wingspan of a Boeing 767-200, and the overall length of a Boeing 737-800, was approximately 156 feet, 1 inch and 124 feet, 9 inches, respectively.
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 737-832 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Delta Airlines flight 1823, a Boeing 737-800, was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to hold short of runway 27, on taxiway D-1, while American Airlines flight 1547, a Boeing 767-200, was instructed to taxi to runway 27 via taxiway D. While taxiing, the right wing tip of the American 767 struck and substantially damaged the left elevator and horizontal stabilizer of the Delta 737. The flight crew of the Delta 737 reported that the airplane had been holding short of the runway 27 hold line, with the parking brakes set, when they felt a "violent shudder." They then looked back and observed the American 767 taxiing past them on taxiway D. The flight crew from the American 767 reported that the sun was creating a glare on the airplane's windscreen; however, they had observed the Delta 737 holding short, and the captain "felt there was more than adequate clearance to continue." According to an airport diagram, taxiway D was located on the north side of, and parallel to, runway 27. Taxiway D-1 extended at an angle to the northwest from runway 27, to taxiway D. The perpendicular distance between the taxiway D centerline and the runway 27 hold short line was 220 feet. Dimensional data provided by the manufacturer revealed that the overall wingspan of a Boeing 767-200, and the overall length of a Boeing 737-800, was approximately 156 feet, 1 inch and 124 feet, 9 inches, respectively.
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 767-200ER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,600 hours in all; 3,240 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,450 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all; 2,800 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 2,810 as pilot in command; 2,040 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 351,000 lb
- Seats: 172
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF6-80A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF6-80A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA
- Destination: MCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 am from BOS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 141 |
The factual record for the Boeing 737-832 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,596 hours in all; 399 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 30, 2000
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 861 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 173,000 lb
- Seats: 162
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm International CFM56-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm International CFM56-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA
- Destination: LGA Flushing NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 116 |
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.