Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63 and Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 accident near Newburgh, New York, August 20, 1987
On August 20, 1987 at about 10:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63 (N951R) and Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 (N908AX), were involved in the same accident near Newburgh, New York (Stewart Intl airport). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1987 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- Newburgh, New York · Stewart Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63
- Registration
- N951R · no longer on the register · serial 46092
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N908AX · no longer on the register · serial 47008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WX WAS DETERIORATING AS AIRBORNE EXPRESS FLT 124 & ROSENBALM FLT 074 WERE ON SUCCESSIVE ARRIVALS FOR AN ILS RWY 9 APCH. FLT 124 WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH & LNDD. AFTER LNDG, THE LCL CTLR (L/C) INSTRUCTED FLT 124 TO BACK TAXI ON THE RWY & RPRT WHEN CLR OF THE RWY. THE L/C ADZD BOSTON CENTER WHEN FLT 124 ARRIVED & FLT 074 WAS CLRD FOR THE ILS 9 APCH. RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & FLT 074 WAS INSTRUCTED TO CTC THE TOWER. FLT 074 ADZD TOWER, 'WITH YOU ON FINAL FOR 9.' THE L/C INSTRUCTED FLT 074 TO RPRT THE OUTER MARKER (OM), THEN CONTD WITH A LENGTHY TRANSMISSION (TMTN) TO THE CREW. DRG THIS TMTN, THE CREW ATMTD TO ADZ THE L/C THAT THEY WERE INSIDE THE OM. THIS TMTN WAS NOT RCVD BY THE L/C. WHEN THE L/C FINISHED TMTG, THE FLT CREW DIDN'T ATMT TO ALERT THE L/C OF THEIR PSN, NOR DID THEY RCV A LNDG CLNC. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO ACFT CONVERGED AS FLT 074 WAS FLARING TO LND & FLT 124 WAS EXITING THE RWY. BOTH CREWS TRIED TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT THE WING OF THE LNDG ACFT (FLT 074) HIT THE EMPENNAGE OF FLT 124.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WX WAS DETERIORATING AS AIRBORNE EXPRESS FLT 124 & ROSENBALM FLT 074 WERE ON SUCCESSIVE ARRIVALS FOR AN ILS RWY 9 APCH. FLT 124 WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH & LNDD. AFTER LNDG, THE LCL CTLR (L/C) INSTRUCTED FLT 124 TO BACK TAXI ON THE RWY & RPRT WHEN CLR OF THE RWY. THE L/C ADZD BOSTON CENTER WHEN FLT 124 ARRIVED & FLT 074 WAS CLRD FOR THE ILS 9 APCH. RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & FLT 074 WAS INSTRUCTED TO CTC THE TOWER. FLT 074 ADZD TOWER, 'WITH YOU ON FINAL FOR 9.' THE L/C INSTRUCTED FLT 074 TO RPRT THE OUTER MARKER (OM), THEN CONTD WITH A LENGTHY TRANSMISSION (TMTN) TO THE CREW. DRG THIS TMTN, THE CREW ATMTD TO ADZ THE L/C THAT THEY WERE INSIDE THE OM. THIS TMTN WAS NOT RCVD BY THE L/C. WHEN THE L/C FINISHED TMTG, THE FLT CREW DIDN'T ATMT TO ALERT THE L/C OF THEIR PSN, NOR DID THEY RCV A LNDG CLNC. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO ACFT CONVERGED AS FLT 074 WAS FLARING TO LND & FLT 124 WAS EXITING THE RWY. BOTH CREWS TRIED TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT THE WING OF THE LNDG ACFT (FLT 074) HIT THE EMPENNAGE OF FLT 124.
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 for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,850 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 12,575 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,869 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 355,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Rosenbalm Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton OH at 8:49 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 11,818 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from SWF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
The factual record for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,457 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 6,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 121,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILN Wilmington OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 11,818 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.