Douglas DC 9 83 incident near Westfield, Massachusetts, October 21, 2016
On October 21, 2016 at about 12:22 pm local time, a 1987 Douglas DC 9 83, registered N425NV, was involved in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Westfield, Massachusetts (Westfield-Barnes Rgnl). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The air traffic controller issuing the aircraft a clearance to land while there was a vehicle authorized to be on the same runway. Contributing to the incident was the air traffic controller's decision to not simulcast the local control and ground control frequencies, and, the reduced visibility at the airport as a result of the weather.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2016 · about 12:22 pm local time
- Place
- Westfield, Massachusetts · Westfield-Barnes Rgnl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC 9 83 83, built 1987 · all DC 9 83s on the register
- Registration
- N425NV · no longer on the register · serial 49438
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The air traffic control tower was operating with all positions combined and the local controller provided approval for an airport vacuum truck to conduct runway sweeping on the first 4000 feet of runway 02. Also operating on the airport movement areas were several other airport and state organization vehicles. The weather was 3/4 statute mile visibility with a ceiling of 200 feet overcast and the local controller could not visually observe the vehicles on the runway. In accordance with standard operating procedure, the local controller used a red "runway unavailable" memory aid to assist with remembering that the vehicles were on the landing surface. As several of the vehicles began to clear the runway, the local controller removed the red memory aide. The vacuum truck remained working on the runway. A short time later, the air traffic controller cleared the flight crew of an MD-83 aircraft to land on runway 20 while the vacuum truck was still on the approach end of runway 02.The aircraft landed and stopped about 200 feet from the vacuum sweeper which was still on the runway. The local controller was operating with combined ground and local positions but did not combine the ground and local radio frequencies. The airport vehicles were communicating with the controller on the ground frequency and were unaware of inbound air traffic communicating with the controller on the local control frequency.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › ATC personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › ATC personnel
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on personnel
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Allegiant Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC
- Destination: BAF Westfield MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 2, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Traffic Control Factual | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Air Traffic Control Factual Attachment 1 Graphics | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Air Traffic Control Factual Attachment 2 Interview Summaries | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Air Traffic Control Factual Attachment 3 Pilot Statements | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | radar File | EXE file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.