Airbus Industrie A319-132 and Boeing 747 incident near Anchorage, Alaska, May 21, 2010
On May 21, 2010 at about 8:10 am local time, 2 aircraft, Airbus Industrie A319-132 (N810AW) and Boeing 747 (LXTCV), were involved in the same incident near Anchorage, Alaska (Ted Stevens International Airp airport). No one was hurt; 140 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The approach controller's delayed transfer of communications on the A319 to the tower controller and failure to account for the aircraft's speed when he directed the crew to turn north. Contributing to the incident was the 747 crew's transfer of radio communications to departure control prior to being directed to do so by the tower controller.
The approach controller's delayed transfer of communications on the A319 to the tower controller and failure to account for the aircraft's speed when he directed the crew to turn north. Contributing to the incident was the 747 crew's transfer of radio communications to departure control prior to being directed to do so by the tower controller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2010 · about 8:10 am local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Ted Stevens International Airp · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 140 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Airbus Industrie A319-132 · all A319-132s on the register
- Registration
- N810AW · registry record · serial 1116
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 747 400 · all 747s on the register
- Registration
- LXTCV · registered outside the United States
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus Industrie A319-132 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airport was configured to use runways 14 and runway 25R, which intersect. An Airbus A319 had been cleared for a visual approach to land on runway 14 but executed a missed approach. During the missed approach procedure and follow-on instructions by air traffic control, the flight paths of the A319 and a Boeing 747, departing from runway 25R, converged. The crew of the A319 received a traffic collision avoidance system resolution advisory during the incident. According to radar data, the A319 and the 747 came with 100 feet vertically and .33 miles laterally. Postincident investigation determined that the approach controller did not direct a timely transfer of communications on the A319 to the control tower and did not account for the aircraft's speed when he directed the A319 to turn north. The above average approach speed of the A319 resulted in the airplane overflying runway 25R instead of turning inside the runway. Additionally, the crew of the 747 transferred radio communications to departure control prior to being directed to do so by the control tower, resulting in the 747 not receiving time-critical traffic and control information from the tower controller.
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 Boeing 747 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airport was configured to use runways 14 and runway 25R, which intersect. An Airbus A319 had been cleared for a visual approach to land on runway 14 but executed a missed approach. During the missed approach procedure and follow-on instructions by air traffic control, the flight paths of the A319 and a Boeing 747, departing from runway 25R, converged. The crew of the A319 received a traffic collision avoidance system resolution advisory during the incident. According to radar data, the A319 and the 747 came with 100 feet vertically and .33 miles laterally. Postincident investigation determined that the approach controller did not direct a timely transfer of communications on the A319 to the control tower and did not account for the aircraft's speed when he directed the A319 to turn north. The above average approach speed of the A319 resulted in the airplane overflying runway 25R instead of turning inside the runway. Additionally, the crew of the 747 transferred radio communications to departure control prior to being directed to do so by the control tower, resulting in the 747 not receiving time-critical traffic and control information from the tower controller.
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 Airbus Industrie A319-132 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during approach (VFR pattern crosswind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › ATC personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Cabin crew
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › (general) › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 179
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2500SERIES (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2500SERIES (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Usairways Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Pheonix Sky Har AZ at 3:01 am
- Destination: PANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 11,584 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PANC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 133 |
The factual record for the Boeing 747 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › ATC personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Cabin crew
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › (general) › ATC personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: PANC Anchorage AK at 8:10 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago O'Hare IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25R, 10,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N810AW on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Airbus A319 329 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Airbus 1,507 aircraft on the register
- Boeing 747 192 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Boeing 6,675 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Iae V2500SERIES 262 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Iae V2500SERIES 262 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International · nearest airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International · departed from
- Chicago O'Hare International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/OPS10IA196.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.