Boeing 737 accident near Boston, Massachusetts, October 4, 2003
On October 4, 2003 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered N972AN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boston, Massachusetts (Boston airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 76 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collision of a ground support vehicle with a parked aircraft, due to the faulty gearshift lever on the ground support vehicle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2003 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · Boston · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 76 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N972AN · registry record · serial 30097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A mechanic had parked a ground support van outside the baggage area under Gate 26, and exited the van. When he returned to the van several minutes later, it had rolled backwards and impacted a parked aircraft. Examination of the van revealed the gearshift lever was faulty, and when the 'park' detent was selected, the van was actually in 'reverse'. The operator's fleet of ground support vehicles was examined for additional faulty gearshift levers, and one vehicle was identified and removed from service. Examination of the airplane revealed a 10-inch hole, with a larger dented area in the fuselage pressure bulkhead, located on the left side of the airplane, midway between the left engine and the L1 door.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Snecma unk (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 6:55 pm
- Destination: ORD Chicago O'Hare IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BOS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 70 |
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.