Boeing 727-200 incident near Newark, New Jersey, February 12, 1993
On February 12, 1993 at about 1:21 am local time, a Boeing 727-200, registered N79771, was involved in an incident near Newark, New Jersey (Newark International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DISORIENTATION WHILE TAXIING, RESULTING IN A RUNWAY INCURSION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WERE: THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ATC GROUND CONTROLLER TO VERIFY THEIR POSITION; THE INADEQUATE CREW COORDINATION; AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1993 · about 1:21 am local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Newark International
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N79771 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW OF N79771 WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 4L ON THE OUTER TAXIWAY. WHILE TAXIING, THE CAPTAIN BECAME DISORIENTED AND THOUGHT HE WAS ON THE INNER TAXIWAY. HE TOLD THE FIRST OFFICER ABOUT HIS CONCERNS. THE FIRST OFFICER'S ATTENTION HAD BEEN DEVOTED TO COCKPIT DUTIES, BUT HE ALSO THOUGHT THEY WERE TAXIING ON THE INNER. THE AIRPLANE WAS ACTUALLY ON THE OUTER. THE CAPTAIN DECIDED TO TURN LEFT AT TAXIWAY 'G' TO RETURN TO THE OUTER. WHEN THE TURN WAS MADE AT 'G,' THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A SHORT TAXIWAY LEADING TO RUNWAY 4L. A B-737 WAS ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 4L, AND THE PILOT OF THAT AIRPLANE SAID HE OBSERVED N79771 ON THE RUNWAY. SEVERAL TOWER CONTROLLERS STATED THAT N79771 WAS ON RUNWAY 4L AMD MADE A TURN OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF N79771 SAID HE SAW THE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, AND THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE AIRPLANE BEFORE ENTERING THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. N79771 WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A NOSE WHEEL TAXI LIGHT. THE PILOT SAID THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO DETERMINE HIS POSITION. THE CREW OF N79771 MADE NO RADIO CALLS TO GROUND CONTROL ABOUT THEIR CONFUSION.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 173,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EWR NJ at 1:10 am
- Destination: BUF Buffalo NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 8,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 60 |
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.