Boeing 737 and Canadair CRJ incident near New York City, New York, July 5, 2007
On July 5, 2007 at about 1:16 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737 (N737DA) and Canadair CRJ (N7415), were involved in the same incident near New York City, New York (La Guardia airport). No one was hurt; 58 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ATC - The incident occurred because the ground controller instructed COM5196 to cross runway 22, without approval from the local controller, resulting in a loss of separation with DAL1238 that was landing on the same runway.
ATC - The incident occurred because the ground controller instructed COM5196 to cross runway 22, without approval from the local controller, resulting in a loss of separation with DAL1238 that was landing on the same runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2007 · about 1:16 pm local time
- Place
- New York City, New York · La Guardia · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 58 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N737DA · registry record · serial N737DA
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Canadair CRJ
- Registration
- N7415 · no longer on the register · serial N7415
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 5, 2007, at about 0915 Eastern daylight time, there was a runway incursion at LaGuardia Airport, New York, New York involving Delta (DAL) flight 1238, a 737, and Comair (COM) flight 196, a CRJ1. There was a developmental training on ground control (GC) at the time of this incident. GC requested to cross runway 22 with an aircraft at taxiway F. The local controller approved the request advising he should cross behind COM flight 425, an E135, which was landing on runway 22. DAL1238 was inbound, landing behind COM425. The aircraft following DAL1238 inbound was issued go around instructions but GC thought that DAL1238 had been sent around. GC then crossed COM196, on runway 22 at taxiway F, without coordination, as DAL1238 crossed the landing threshold. The FAA originally reported that the lateral separation of the aircraft was 3,200 feet. The Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) radar data indicated that the closest proximity of the aircraft was about 650 feet. The incident occurred during day visual flight rules conditions. The FAA classified this incursion as a Category C.
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 Canadair CRJ final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 5, 2007, at about 0915 Eastern daylight time, there was a runway incursion at LaGuardia Airport, New York, New York involving Delta (DAL) flight 1238, a 737, and Comair (COM) flight 196, a CRJ1. There was a developmental training on ground control (GC) at the time of this incident. GC requested to cross runway 22 with an aircraft at taxiway F. The local controller approved the request advising he should cross behind COM flight 425, an E135, which was landing on runway 22. DAL1238 was inbound, landing behind COM425. The aircraft following DAL1238 inbound was issued go around instructions but GC thought that DAL1238 had been sent around. GC then crossed COM196, on runway 22 at taxiway F, without coordination, as DAL1238 crossed the landing threshold. The FAA originally reported that the lateral separation of the aircraft was 3,200 feet. The Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) radar data indicated that the closest proximity of the aircraft was about 650 feet. The incident occurred during day visual flight rules conditions. The FAA classified this incursion as a Category C.
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 737 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Delta Airlines INC Dfw Base Maintenance
The flight
- Departed from: KCVG Covington KY
- Destination: KLGA New York City NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 am from KLGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 51 |
The factual record for the Canadair CRJ from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Comair INC
The flight
- Departed from: New York City NY
- Destination: GSO Greensboro NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
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.