Boeing 747-230 and Fokker FK-28-1000 accident near Jamaica, New York, June 16, 1990
On June 16, 1990 at about 11:36 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 747-230 (IDEMC) and Fokker FK-28-1000 (N458US), were involved in the same accident near Jamaica, New York (John F. Kennedy airport). No one was hurt; 133 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE BOEING 747 CAPTAIN MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND THE FOKKER F.28. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE OF THE BOEING 747 CAPTAIN.
THE BOEING 747 CAPTAIN MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND THE FOKKER F.28. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE OF THE BOEING 747 CAPTAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1990 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- Jamaica, New York · John F. Kennedy · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 133 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 747-230 · all 747-230s on the register
- Registration
- IDEMC · no longer on the register · serial 22506
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Fokker FK-28-1000
- Registration
- N458US · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747-230 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BOEING 747-230 (ALITALIA FLT 608, REG NO: I-DEMC) WAS IN A RIGHT TURN AS ITS CREW TRIED TO PASS BEHIND A STOPPED FOKKER F.28 MK 1000 (USAIR FLT 1948, REG NO: N458US). AS THE 747 WAS TURNING, ITS LEFT WING STRUCK THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE FK.28. THIS RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE 747 AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE F.28. THE CAPTAIN OF THE 747 SAID HE WAS 'ONE HOUR LATE AND TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME.' HE ALSO SAID, 'IT WAS MY FAULT.'
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 Fokker FK-28-1000 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BOEING 747-230 (ALITALIA FLT 608, REG NO: I-DEMC) WAS IN A RIGHT TURN AS ITS CREW TRIED TO PASS BEHIND A STOPPED FOKKER F.28 MK 1000 (USAIR FLT 1948, REG NO: N458US). AS THE 747 WAS TURNING, ITS LEFT WING STRUCK THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE FK.28. THIS RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE 747 AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE F.28. THE CAPTAIN OF THE 747 SAID HE WAS 'ONE HOUR LATE AND TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME.' HE ALSO SAID, 'IT WAS MY FAULT.'
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 747-230 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,928 hours in all; 2,178 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 11,783 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 820,000 lb
- Seats: 303
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W CF6-50E (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIRF Rome, Italy OF at 2:30 pm
- Destination: JFK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31R, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:39 pm from JFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 17 | |||
| Passengers | 60 |
The factual record for the Fokker FK-28-1000 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 12,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 65,000 lb
- Seats: 69
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce SPEY MK 555 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFK
- Destination: SYR Syracuse NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31L, 14,572 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 52 |
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.