Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82 accident near Flushing, New York, November 9, 2002
On November 9, 2002 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82, registered N452AA, was involved in an accident near Flushing, New York (La Guardia airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 72 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent trauma to the passenger's foot during an emergency evacuation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2002 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Flushing, New York · La Guardia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 72 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82
- Registration
- N452AA · no longer on the register · serial 49553
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While waiting on the ramp after landing, the flight crew started the airplane's auxiliary power unit (APU) and about 30 seconds later, the cabin began to fill with smoke. The captain ordered an emergency evacuation utilizing the airplane's four evacuation slides. All slides functioned normally; however, during the egress a passenger sustained a fractured bone in her right foot. Examination of the airplane revealed a broken hydraulic line, which allowed hydraulic fluid to accumulate in the area of the APU inlet.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 840 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,206 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,325 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 8, 2002; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 149,500 lb
- Seats: 150
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200-7C (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200-7C (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: DFW Dallas-Fort Wor TX at 3:54 pm
- Destination: LGA Flushing NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from LGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 | 68 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N452AA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.