Boeing 737-300LR accident near Flushing, New York, December 8, 1992
On December 8, 1992 at about 2:02 pm local time, a Boeing 737-300LR, registered N516AU, was involved in an accident near Flushing, New York (La Guardia airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 59 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LACK OF ADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE WALKER AND TUG WHICH RESULTED IN THE WALKER BEING STRUCK BY THE TUG WHEN HE FELL FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A POLICY TO STAY CLEAR OF THE TUG, TOWBAR, AND NOSEWHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHILE PUSHBACK OPERATIONS ARE IN MOTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1992 · about 2:02 pm local time
- Place
- Flushing, New York · La Guardia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 59 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-300LR · all 737-300LRs on the register
- Registration
- N516AU · no longer on the register · serial 23702
- 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 B737 WAS BEING PUSHED BACK USING A 2 MAN GROUND CREW. THE TUG DRIVER WAS SEATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TUG. THE WALKER WAS FORWARD OF THE TUG, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, USING A 15 FT HEADSET CORD WHICH RESTRICTED HIS ABILITY TO STAY CLEAR OF THE NOSEWHEEL, TUG, AND TOWBAR. THE TUG DRIVER SAID THAT IN HIS PERIPHERAL VISION, HE SAW THE WALKER FALL AND STOPPED THE TUG IMMEDIATELY; HOWEVER, THE TUG WAS NOT STOPPED PRIOR TO STRIKING THE FALLEN WALKER WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO WITNESSES WERE FOUND WHO COULD SAY WHY THE WALKER FELL. EXAMINATION OF COMPANY PROCEDURES REVEALED THEY ISSUED A MAINTENANCE TRAINING BULLETIN IN 12/89. THE BULLETIN REFERENCED A 'REQUIREMENT' TO STAY CLEAR OF THE AIRPLANE NOSEWHEEL. ALTHOUGH SENT TO ALL STATIONS, THE BULLETIN WAS NOT MANDATORY READING AND IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE WALKER WAS AWARE OF ITS CONTENT. IN ADDITION, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BULLETIN WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED INTO THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 1,360 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 1,020 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,594 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 3, 1992; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 138,500 lb
- Seats: 130
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm 56-3-B2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLGA
- Destination: KTPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from LGA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 54 |
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.