Boeing 727-227 and Dornier DO-228-202 incident near Boston, Massachusetts, November 14, 1988
On November 14, 1988 at about 1:12 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727-227 (N555PE) and Dornier DO-228-202 (N238RP), were involved in the same incident near Boston, Massachusetts (Boston airport). No one was hurt; 144 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO DETECT THE RED T ON THE DEPARTURE STRIP ON PRE659 WHEN HE CLEARED HIM INTO POSITION AND HOLD. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE LACK OF POSITIVE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GROUND CONTROLLER AND LOCAL CONTROLLER.
FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO DETECT THE RED T ON THE DEPARTURE STRIP ON PRE659 WHEN HE CLEARED HIM INTO POSITION AND HOLD. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE LACK OF POSITIVE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GROUND CONTROLLER AND LOCAL CONTROLLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1988 · about 1:12 am local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · Boston
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 144 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727-227 · all 727-227s on the register
- Registration
- N555PE · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Dornier DO-228-202
- Registration
- N238RP · no longer on the register · serial 8138
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-227 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED PAN AM FLT 543 (BOEING 727, N555PE) INTO POSITION & HOLD ON RWY 22R, THEN HE CLEARED THE 727 FOR TAKEOFF. THE CONTROLLER THEN CLEARED PRECISION FLT 649 (DORNIER DO-228, N238RP) INTO POSITION & HOLD ON RUNWAY 22R. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT REALIZE THE DORNIER WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, 4200 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY, RATHER THAN AT THE APPROACH END. HE HAD FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE TAKEOFF STRIP WAS MARKED WITH A RED 'T' INDICATING AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF. ALSO, THE GROUND CONTROLLER DID NOT ADEQUATELY COORDINATE WITH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, WHEN HE CLEARED THE DORNIER TO TAXI TO THE INTERSECTION FOR AN INTERSECTION DEPARTURE. THE 727 FLIGHT CREW SAW THE DORNIER ON THE RUNWAY & MADE AN EARLY ROTATION, MISSING THE DORNIER. THERE WAS NO CONTACT BETWEEN AIRCRAFT OR INJURIES. THE 727 FLT CREW RETURNED FOR A LANDING TO CHECK THE ENGINES, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERBOOSTED AFTER MAXIMUM POWER WAS APPLIED TO CLEAR THE DORNIER. THE DORNIER WAS TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY & BACK TO THE RAMP TO ASSURE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE.
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 Dornier DO-228-202 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED PAN AM FLT 543 (BOEING 727, N555PE) INTO POSITION & HOLD ON RWY 22R, THEN HE CLEARED THE 727 FOR TAKEOFF. THE CONTROLLER THEN CLEARED PRECISION FLT 649 (DORNIER DO-228, N238RP) INTO POSITION & HOLD ON RUNWAY 22R. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT REALIZE THE DORNIER WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, 4200 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY, RATHER THAN AT THE APPROACH END. HE HAD FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE TAKEOFF STRIP WAS MARKED WITH A RED 'T' INDICATING AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF. ALSO, THE GROUND CONTROLLER DID NOT ADEQUATELY COORDINATE WITH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, WHEN HE CLEARED THE DORNIER TO TAXI TO THE INTERSECTION FOR AN INTERSECTION DEPARTURE. THE 727 FLIGHT CREW SAW THE DORNIER ON THE RUNWAY & MADE AN EARLY ROTATION, MISSING THE DORNIER. THERE WAS NO CONTACT BETWEEN AIRCRAFT OR INJURIES. THE 727 FLT CREW RETURNED FOR A LANDING TO CHECK THE ENGINES, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERBOOSTED AFTER MAXIMUM POWER WAS APPLIED TO CLEAR THE DORNIER. THE DORNIER WAS TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY & BACK TO THE RAMP TO ASSURE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE.
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 Boeing 727-227 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,425 hours in all; 167 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 1,605 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,075 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 172,600 lb
- Seats: 163
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS at 1:11 am
- Destination: LGA Flushing NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 222, 7,860 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 129 |
The factual record for the Dornier DO-228-202 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,562 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 4,112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 12, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,669 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Precision Valley Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA
- Destination: ISP Islip NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,860 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.