Cessna 421C and Boeing 727-227 incident near New York, New York, April 23, 1989
On April 23, 1989 at about 9:49 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 421C (N247CB) and Boeing 727-227 (N553PE), were involved in the same incident near New York, New York. No one was hurt; 208 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE LIBERTY SECTOR CONTROLLER TO ADVISE PAN AM FLIGHT 542 OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CESSNA 421 AND/OR RESTRICT THE CLIMB OF FLIGHT 542 UNTIL IT HAD PASSED THE CESSNA, AND FAILURE OF THE PAN AM AIRCREW TO SEE THE CESSNA IN ADEQUATE TIME TO AVOID A NEAR COLLISION.
FAILURE OF THE LIBERTY SECTOR CONTROLLER TO ADVISE PAN AM FLIGHT 542 OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CESSNA 421 AND/OR RESTRICT THE CLIMB OF FLIGHT 542 UNTIL IT HAD PASSED THE CESSNA, AND FAILURE OF THE PAN AM AIRCREW TO SEE THE CESSNA IN ADEQUATE TIME TO AVOID A NEAR COLLISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1989 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 208 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N247CB · registry record · serial 421C0299
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 727-227 · all 727-227s on the register
- Registration
- N553PE · no longer on the register · serial 20774
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 421C final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 421, N247CB, WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES FROM NEW YORK TRACON WHILE PROCEEDING WESTBOUND AT 10,500 FT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, PAN AM FLT 542 (BOEING 727, N553PE) WAS PROCEEDING NORTHEAST AT 10,000 FT WITH AN IFR CLNC. AT 1744:32 EDT, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR GAVE THE CESSNA PLT A FREQ CHANGE TO THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR, WHICH WAS THE NEXT SECTOR TO THE WEST; HE THEN CHANGED THE CESSNA 421'S DATA BLOCK TO A LIMITED DATA BLOCK. AT 1748, FLT 542 WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE FROM THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR TO THE LIBERTY SECTOR. AT 1749:04, BEFORE THE TWO ACFT HAD PASSED EACH OTHER, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR CLRD FLT 542 TO CLIMB TO 17,000 FT & TO TURN TO A HDG OF 080 DEG. THE CESSNA PLT HAD BEEN GIVEN A TRAFFIC ADVISORY (BY THE LAGUARDIA CTLR) & WAS WATCHING FLT 542. WHEN THE CESSNA PLT REALIZED FLT 542 HAD STARTED TO CLIMB, HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A COLLISION. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE PLTS OF FLT 542 SAW THE CESSNA & PUSHED THE NOSE OF HIS ACFT DOWN FOR EVASIVE ACTION.
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 Boeing 727-227 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 421, N247CB, WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES FROM NEW YORK TRACON WHILE PROCEEDING WESTBOURND AT 10,500 FT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, PAN AM FLT 542 (BOEING 727, N553PE) WAS PROCEEDING NORTHEAST AT 10,000 FT WITH AN IFR CLNC. AT 1744:32 EDT, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR GAVE THE CESSNA PLT A FREQ CHANGE TO THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR, WHICH WAS THE NEXT SECTOR TO THE WEST; HE THEN CHANGED THE CESSNA 421'S DATA BLOCK TO A LIMITED DATA BLOCK. AT 1748, FLT 542 WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE FROM THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR TO THE LIBERTY SECTOR. AT 1749:04, BEFORE THE TWO ACFT HAD PASSED EACH OTHER, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR CLRD FLT 542 TO CLIMB TO 17,000 FT & TO TURN TO A HDG OF 080 DEG. THE CESSNA PLT HAD BEEN GIVEN A TRAFFIC ADVISORY (BY THE LAGUARDIA CTLR) & WAS WATCHING FLT 542. WHEN THE CESSNA PLT REALIZED FLT 542 HAD STARTED TO CLIMB, HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A COLLISION. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE PLTS OF FLT 542 SAW THE CESSNA & PUSHED THE NOSE OF HIS ACFT DOWN FOR EVASIVE ACTION.
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 Cessna 421C 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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,100 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,330 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1989; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT at 9:35 pm
- Destination: 4G9 Bedford PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from JFK, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 103 |
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
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 160,000 lb
- Seats: 169
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGA New York NY at 9:43 pm
- Destination: BOS Boston MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 11 | |||
| Passengers | 92 |
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.