Canadair CL-600-2B19 accident near Jamaica, New York, December 2, 2003
On December 2, 2003 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600-2B19, registered N916CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamaica, New York (John F. Kennedy Int'L airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 45 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with an unoccupied belt loader, after the belt loader driver inadvertently fell to the ground while maneuvering. Factors in this accident were the gusty wind conditions and the failure of the operator to require that persons operating belt loaders use seat belts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2003 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Jamaica, New York · John F. Kennedy Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 45 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600-2B19 · all CL-600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N916CA · no longer on the register · serial 7014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was parked, and in the process of deplaning passengers when it was struck by an unoccupied belt loader. The driver of the belt loader stated that she was maneuvering the belt loader when she fell off due to the gusty wind conditions. The airplane was parked in a confined area of the ramp, which would have required tight turns to maneuver the belt loader. The belt loader was equipped with an operational seat belt. The operator did not require that seat belts be utilized when operating belt loaders. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident were sustained at 25 knots, with 30 knot gusts.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,537 hours in all; 2,403 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 2,320 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,247 hours in all; 770 in this make and model; 314 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 1,270 as pilot in command; 973 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,889 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 14, 2003; 229 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 51,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Comair INC
The flight
- Departed from: PIT Pittsburgh PA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: JFK Jamaica NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from JFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 42 |
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 N916CA 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.