- Date
- August 15, 2017, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Queens, NY
- Injuries
- 295 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-to runway: Ground collisionTaxi-to runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA report
- 20170815020672A
- Case key
- 95831
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the Delta B737 captain's failure to maintain proper clearance between his airplane and the stopped American B757.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N377DA · Boeing 737 832
N175AN · Boeing 757
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N377DA · Boeing 737 832
N175AN · Boeing 757
Analysis
On August 15, 2017, at approximately 6:15 PM EDT, American Airlines flight 290, a Boeing B757, N175AN, was stationary awaiting takeoff clearance when it was struck by Delta Air Lines flight 2503, a Boeing B737-800, N377DA, as it was taxiing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), Queens, New York. There were no injuries to the 129 passengers and crew onboard the B757, nor to the 166 passengers and crew onboard the B737. The American Airlines B757 sustained substantial damage and the Delta Air Lines B737 sustained minor damage. Both airplanes were operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as regularly scheduled passenger flights. According to flight crew statements, the American Airlines B757 taxied down taxiway C and turned onto taxiway FB where it stopped short of runway 22R and was awaiting takeoff clearance. The Delta B737 followed the American B757 down taxiway C and was then instructed to taxi behind the American B757 and to continue to taxiway E. The Delta captain stated he steered slightly to the right of the taxiway centerline to keep clear of the stopped American B757. He then steered back towards the centerline once he thought his left winglet had cleared the American B757s tail when he felt a bump. After stopping, emergency personnel inspected both airplanes and indicated that Delta's left winglet had contacted the American B757 right horizontal stabilizer, resulting in substantial damage to the elevator. Both aircraft taxied back to their respective gates under their own power and passengers deplaned normally.
Factual narrative
On August 15, 2017, at approximately 6:15 PM EDT, American Airlines flight 290, a Boeing B757, N175AN, was stationary awaiting takeoff clearance when it was struck by Delta Air Lines flight 2503, a Boeing B737-800, N377DA, as it was taxiing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), Queens, New York. There were no injuries to the 129 passengers and crew onboard the B757, nor to the 166 passengers and crew onboard the B737. The American Airlines B757 sustained substantial damage and the Delta Air Lines B737 sustained minor damage. Both airplanes were operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as regularly scheduled passenger flights. According to flight crew statements, the American Airlines B757 taxied down taxiway C and turned onto taxiway FB where it stopped short of runway 22R and was awaiting takeoff clearance. The Delta B737 followed the American B757 down taxiway C and was then instructed to taxi behind the American B757 and to continue to taxiway E. The Delta captain stated he steered slightly to the right of the taxiway centerline to keep clear of the stopped American B757. He then steered back towards the centerline once he thought his left winglet had cleared the American B757s tail when he felt a bump. After stopping, emergency personnel inspected both airplanes and indicated that Delta's left winglet had contacted the American B757 right horizontal stabilizer, resulting in substantial damage to the elevator. Both aircraft taxied back to their respective gates under their own power and passengers deplaned normally.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N377DA
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 832 (832)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29625
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 57,611.59
- Engines
- General Electric CFM56-7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanGeneral Electric CFM56-7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 14, 2017
- Departed
- JFK · Queens, NY
- Destination
- SEA · Seattle, WA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- JFK · John F Kennedy Intl
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N175AN
- Reported as
- Boeing 757 (223)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32394
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 50,926
- Engines
- Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, turbo fanRolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines
- Registered owner
- American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 11, 2017
- Departed
- JFK · Queens, NY
- Destination
- DUB · Dublin
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- JFK · John F Kennedy Intl
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N377DA
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- January 6, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 15,043 total · 2,516 in this make and model · 2,184 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N377DA
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 755 total · 755 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 117 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N175AN
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 26, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 4,161 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N175AN
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 18, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,255 total · 5,696 in this make and model · 8,801 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.