Boeing 767-332ER incident near Jamaica, New York, June 25, 1996
On June 25, 1996 at about 10:57 pm local time, a Boeing 767-332ER, registered N185DN, suffered minor damage in an incident near Jamaica, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 229 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the improper installation of the generator feed cable by the manufacturer, which resulted in a severed aileron cable due to arcing between the generator feed cable and aileron cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1996 · about 10:57 pm local time
- Place
- Jamaica, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 229 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-332ER · all 767-332ERs on the register
- Registration
- N185DN · registry record · serial 27961
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, the flightcrew heard a loud pop or crack, and the airplane made an uncommanded roll to the left. In addition, the right generator off light illuminated. By holding continuous input to the control yoke, the airplane was returned to a wings-level attitude, and returned for an overweight landing without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that one of two aileron cables on the right side aileron control had been severed by electrical arcing from the right engine generator feed line. No evidence of contact between the generator feed cable and the aileron cable was found. However, a pin hole about 1/8 inch in diameter was found on the plastic sheath of the generator feed cable in the area where the aileron cable passed nearby. The Boeing drawing used for production states to maintain a 1.0 inch minimum clearance between the aileron cable and the generator feed line. When the aileron cable was replaced and tensioned on the incident airplane, the clearance between the aileron cable and generator feed line was measured at 3/16 inch.
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: 15,000 hours in all; 858 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,975 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 21, 1996; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 407,000 lb
- Seats: 235
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 4060 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFK at 10:52 pm
- Destination: FCO Rome, Italy OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from JFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 217 |
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 N185DN the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.