- Date
- February 5, 2025, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Seattle, WA
- Injuries
- 335 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3737CBoeing 737-832JA868JBoeing 787
- Defining events
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Ground collisionTaxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 14, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA, JTSB
- Case key
- 199653
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 Japan Airlines flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from the parked Delta Air Lines aircraft while taxiing in congested ramp conditions.
Findings · 3
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.
N3737C · Boeing 737-832
Boeing 787
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.
N3737C · Boeing 737-832
Boeing 787
Analysis
The accident occurred when the right wingtip of Japan Airlines flight 68 (JAL68), a Boeing 787-9 collided with the vertical stabilizer of Delta Air Lines flight 1921 (DL1921), a Boeing 737-832 while taxiing to the gate after landing at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Seattle, Washington. There were no injuries to passengers or crew on either airplane and DL1921 sustained substantial damage to its empennage. The DL1921 flight crew reported that after pushback from gate A11 and taxiing via taxiway W, they were instructed to hold short of spot 99 and sequence for the south deice pad. DL1921 was stopped with the parking brake set abeam deice spot 1, waiting for marshalling and further clearance. According to the captain, the uncontrolled deice ramp was congested, slippery due to light snow and deicing fluid, and lacked defined hold points and marshalling guidance. The DL1921 flight crew stated that they were parked in position behind an Airbus A220 awaiting deice when they were struck from behind by a taxiing aircraft. The captain of DL1921 reported no prior indication that another aircraft was approaching from the rear and stated that he believed his aircraft was safely parked awaiting ground guidance. The first officer of DL1921 stated that he observed the approaching JAL68 aircraft’s wing moving uncomfortably close and alerted the captain, but the Delta aircraft could not move forward due to deice truck traffic and lack of a ground marshal. Moments later, the JAL68 aircraft’s right wingtip contacted the tail section of DL1921. According to statements from the JAL68 flight crew, they were taxiing toward gate S8 after landing on runway 16L. Due to congestion, the crew received multiple routing changes via ramp control, including taxi to spot 88 and subsequently back to spot 99 before re-entering the ramp toward S8. While maneuvering in the congested ramp near stands S15 and S16, the JAL68 captain (pilot flying) offset slightly left of centerline to maintain spacing with DL1921. The captain reported confirming with the first officer (pilot monitoring) whether the right wingtip was clear. The first officer responded that it appeared clear, but later recognized this was a misjudgment. The Japan Airlines crew estimated taxi speed at about 2 knots prior to contact. Both the captain and the observer crewmember reported they were aware of the proximity of the Delta aircraft but believed clearance would be maintained. The right wingtip of JAL68’s B-787 subsequently struck the tail of the parked DL1921. Following the collision, both crews initiated standard checklists. The Delta crew reported no injuries, secured the aircraft, and coordinated with Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) and airport operations for passenger deplaning via buses. The Japan Airlines crew stopped engines after receiving signals from Delta ground staff and reported the occurrence to ATC and company dispatch.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N3737C
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-832
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30799
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 68,606
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56-7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 -7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 3, 2025
- Destination
- MMPR · Puerto Vallarta, OF
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SEA · Seattle-Tacoma Intl
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, 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
- JA868J
- Reported as
- Boeing 787 (9)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34845
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 34,830.3
- Engines
- General Electric GEnx-1B74/75/P2, 68,600 lbs thrust, turbo fanGeneral Electric Genx-1B74/75/P2, 68,600 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Japan Air Lines
- Registered owner
- Japan Air Lines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 15, 2024
- Departed
- Narita, OF
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Stall warning system
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N3737C
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 11,757 total · 6,444 in this make and model · 4,431 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N3737C
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 25, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 7,005 total · 1,229 in this make and model · 4,634 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft 2
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 17, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,040 total · 6,059 in this make and model · 1,278 as pilot in command · 169 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft 2
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 2, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,995 total · 540 in this make and model · 18 as pilot in command · 203 in the last 90 days · 91 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KSEA
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.8 MB in all.