Bombardier, Inc. CRJ1 and Airbus Industrie A320 incident near Baltimore, Maryland, December 3, 2007
On December 3, 2007, 2 aircraft, Bombardier, Inc. CRJ1 (N781CA) and Airbus Industrie A320 (N659AW), were involved in the same incident near Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore-Washington Intl airport). No one was hurt; 184 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The probable cause of this incident is local controller's failure of maintaining awareness of the situation and failing to provide the appropriate separation between the two aircraft operating on intersecting runways. Providing separation between aircraft is a first duty priority, in accordance with FAA Order 7110.65.
The probable cause of this incident is local controller's failure of maintaining awareness of the situation and failing to provide the appropriate separation between the two aircraft operating on intersecting runways. Providing separation between aircraft is a first duty priority, in accordance with FAA Order 7110.65.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2007
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Baltimore-Washington Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 184 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bombardier, Inc. CRJ1
- Registration
- N781CA · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus Industrie A320 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N659AW · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bombardier, Inc. CRJ1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 2, 2007, at approximately 7:21 pm Eastern Standard time, Comair flight 5412 (COM5412), a Bombardier Regional Jet (CRJ), departed runway 15R and over flew America West (AWE) flight 83, an Airbus A320, that had landed on runway 10 at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Baltimore, Maryland during night visual meteorological conditions. Weather conditions were: wind calm, visibility 5 statute miles, light rain and mist, ceiling 1,000 feet broken and 3,000 feet overcast. The tower controller had cleared AWE83 to land on runway 10 and AWE83 was approximately 6 mile on final approach when the ATC local controller cleared COM5412 for takeoff on runway 15R. COM5412 was on taxiway A about 500 feet short of runway 15R when the takeoff clearance was issued. AMASS alerted. COM5412 rotated at taxiway F and over flew AWE83, at the intersection of runways 10 and 15R. The initial report from the Federal Aviation Administration stated that COM5421 over flew AWE83 by 300 feet. AWE83 exited runway 10 at runway 22.
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 Airbus Industrie A320 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 2, 2007, at approximately 7:21 pm Eastern Standard time, Comair flight 5412 (COM5412), a Bombardier Regional Jet (CRJ), departed runway 15R and over flew America West (AWE) flight 83, an Airbus A320, that had landed on runway 10 at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Baltimore, Maryland during night visual meteorological conditions. Weather conditions were: wind calm, visibility 5 statute miles, light rain and mist, ceiling 1,000 feet broken and 3,000 feet overcast. The tower controller had cleared AWE83 to land on runway 10 and AWE83 was approximately 6 mile on final approach when the ATC local controller cleared COM5412 for takeoff on runway 15R. COM5412 was on taxiway A about 500 feet short of runway 15R when the takeoff clearance was issued. AMASS alerted. COM5412 rotated at taxiway F and over flew AWE83, at the intersection of runways 10 and 15R. The initial report from the Federal Aviation Administration stated that COM5421 over flew AWE83 by 300 feet. AWE83 exited runway 10 at runway 22.
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 Bombardier, Inc. CRJ1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Comair INC
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD
- Destination: BOS MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15R, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 50 |
The factual record for the Airbus Industrie A320 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: America West Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 8:13 pm
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 10,502 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 126 |
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.