Douglas DC-9-31 accident near Syracuse, New York, May 18, 2007
On May 18, 2007 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-31, registered N1799U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Syracuse, New York (Syracuse Hancock International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 99 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The senior ground agent's failure to follow written procedures and directives.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2007 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Syracuse, New York · Syracuse Hancock International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 99 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N1799U · no longer on the register · serial 47370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While at its departure airport, a Douglas DC-9-31’s baggage was loaded by contract ramp personnel. After departure, the airplane was climbing through approximately 20,000 feet mean sea level (msl), when the flight crew heard a "loud pop" and the cabin depressurized. The flight crew donned their oxygen masks and diverted to the closest airport in point of time, and landed uneventfully. Postflight inspection of the accident airplane revealed a 12-inch by 5-inch fuselage skin tear, approximately 6 feet forward of the forward cargo door. During the course of the investigation it was revealed that at some point during the aircraft luggage off-loading or loading process, the engine of the belt loader quit operating. The senior of three ground agents working the flight decided to move the belt loader away from the airplane by pushing the belt loader with a luggage tug; however, during the attempt to move the belt loader, the tug’s cab contacted the fuselage. The senior ground agent then advised "don’t say anything" to one of the other employees who was working the flight with him, and the airplane departed and later depressurized. The senior ground agent’s actions were contrary to published guidance in the company’s training handbook and operation manual.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,509 hours in all; 8,750 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 5,212 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,852 hours in all; 531 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 83,094 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 99,700 lb
- Seats: 107
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYR Syracus NY at 4:37 pm
- Destination: DTW Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from SYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 95 |
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.