Accidents · NTSB NYC93FA137 · Final report

Boeing 747-368 and Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 accident near Jamaica, New York, July 25, 1993

On July 25, 1993 at about 1:48 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 747-368 (HZAIS) and Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 (N242AT), were involved in the same accident near Jamaica, New York (John F. Kennedy airport). No one was hurt; 193 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

MISSJUDGED CLEARANCE BY THE CAPTAIN OF THE B-747, HZ-AIS, AS HE ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AROUND THE ATR-42, N242AT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DIVERTED ATTENTION OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE B-747.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date: July 25, 1993 · about 1:48 pm local time
Place: Jamaica, New York · John F. Kennedy · map
Type: Accident · collision on the ground
Injuries: No one was hurt; 193 people were on board or involved.
Weather: visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft 1: Boeing 747-368 · all 747-368s on the register
Registration: HZAIS · no longer on the register · serial 23270
Damage: Minor damage
Flight: Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
Aircraft 2: Aerospatiale ATR-42-300
Registration: N242AT · registry record · serial 242
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)

The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747-368 final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE CREW OF THE DEPARTING ATR-42, N242AT, HAD ACCEPTED AN INTERSECTION DEPARTURE, AND WAS HOLDING ON A STUB TAXIWAY WHEN THE FOLLOWING B-747, HZ-AIS, TRIED TO GET AROUND IT. THE LEFT WING OF THE B-747 CONTACTED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER OF THE ATR-42. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE CAPTAIN OF THE B-747 WAS MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM TO THE CABIN, AND AT THE SAME TIME ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE ATR-42.

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 Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE CREW OF THE DEPARTING ATR-42, N242AT, HAD ACCEPTED AN INTERSECTION DEPARTURE, AND WAS HOLDING ON A STUB TAXIWAY WHEN THE FOLLOWING B-747, HZ-AIS, TRIED TO GET AROUND IT. THE LEFT WING OF THE B-747 CONTACTED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER OF THE ATR-42. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE CAPTAIN OF THE B-747 WAS MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM TO THE CABIN, AND AT THE SAME TIME ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE ATR-42.

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 747-368 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

Pilot

Certificate: airline transport pilot
Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
Flight time: 21,198 hours in all; 1,945 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
Seat: left

The aircraft

Airframe total time: 23,888 hours
Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 11, 1993; 249 hours since
Maximum gross weight: 833,000 lb
Seats: 416
Landing gear: retractable
Engine: Rolls-Royce RB 211-524D4 (turbofan); 0 hours total

The flight

Departed from: JFK
Destination: IAD Washington DC
Flight plan: IFR
Runway 0
A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

Light: daylight
Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
Visibility: 20 statute miles
Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Observation at 1:56 pm from JFK

Injuries

	Fatal	Serious	Minor	None
Crew				21
Passengers				130

The factual record for the Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

Pilot

Certificate: airline transport pilot
Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
Flight time: 10,100 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
Seat: left

The aircraft

Airframe total time: 4,264 hours
Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 5, 1993; 117 hours since
Maximum gross weight: 36,825 lb
Seats: 49
Landing gear: retractable
Engine: P&W PW 120 (turboprop); 0 hours total
Operator: Flagship Airlines, INC.

The flight

Departed from: JFK
Destination: DCA Washington DC
Flight plan: IFR
Runway 0
A second pilot was aboard

Injuries

	Fatal	Serious	Minor	None
Crew				3
Passengers				39

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.

Other NTSB records under HZAIS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time

2011-02-16DCA11WA033 · accident near Madinah · substantial damage · no injuries

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.