Douglas DC-9 incident near Boston, Massachusetts, July 2, 1985
On July 2, 1985 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9, registered N968BJ, was involved in an incident near Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 52 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1985 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · Logan International
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 52 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9 · all DC-9s on the register
- Registration
- N968BJ · no longer on the register · serial 963
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING OUT OF 10000 FT, SHORTLY AFTER TKF, WHEN THE PIC LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. THE COPILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE FLIGHT AND RETURNED TO BOSTON WHERE A LNDG OCCURED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF THE PIC REVEALED THAT HE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.
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
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 4,380 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 103,970 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Air
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA
- Destination: YKZ Toronto Ont
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from BOS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 48 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC85FA260.