Airbus A320 incident near Boston, Massachusetts, June 18, 2009
On June 18, 2009 at about 10:36 am local time, a Airbus A320, registered N662AW, was involved in an incident during takeoff near Boston, Massachusetts. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 89 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The vehicle operator's failure to follow the designated haul route to the construction site and his failure to adhere to airport driving procedures, which led to missed visual cues and lack of required communication prior to crossing the active runway. Contributing to the incident was the vehicle operator's distraction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2009 · about 10:36 am local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 89 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N662AW · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane rotated approximately 500 feet from the intersection of runway 15R and taxiway M as the vehicle cleared the runway edge southbound on taxiway M. Taxiway M was under construction to connect the northern and southern portions for a full-length parallel taxiway. The operator of the construction vehicle was just coming on shift at the construction site at taxiway M. The Airport Authority had designated the south haul route as active at the time of the incident. The operator of the construction vehicle departed the construction trailer and drove to the construction site via the north haul route. He recalled turning on the construction vehicle’s rotating lights and the radio. He made no radio contact with the tower air traffic controllers during the drive, and despite not seeing any stop signs in place indicating a closed runway or looking both ways at the intersection, crossed the active runway without clearance. The operator of the vehicle stated in his interview he was “on autopilot during the drive to the construction site” and “was preoccupied” with thoughts of what needed to be done at the construction site.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › Pressures/demands › Other pressure/demand › Effect on personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › (general) › Other/unknown
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Other/unknown
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Other/unknown
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Iae V2500 Series (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2500 Series (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 84 |
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.