Aviation Crash Map

Boeing 737-400 N416US

21 September 1989 · Flushing, New York, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 21 September 1989 at about 03:21 local time, a Boeing 737-400 registered N416US, operated by Usair, was involved in an accident near Flushing, New York, United States. 63 people were on board and 2 died, 3 were seriously injured, 18 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 03:21
Classification
Accident
Location
Flushing, New York, United States
Nearest airport
La Guardia (LGA)
Coordinates
40.7693, -73.8704
Aircraft
Boeing 737-400
Registration
N416US
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Usair
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Charlotte
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
IMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
DCA89MA074

People

2 people died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
63 2 3 18 40

Probable cause

THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO EXERCISE HIS COMMAND AUTHORITY IN A TIMELY MANNER TO REJECT THE TAKEOFF OR TAKE SUFFICIENT CONTROL TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF, WHICH WAS INITIATED WITH A MISTRIMMED RUDDER. ALSO CAUSAL WAS THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO DETECT THE MISTRIMMED RUDDER BEFORE THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS THE FIRST OFFICER BEGAN THE TAKEOFF HE FELT THE AIRPLANE DRIFT RIGHT. THE CAPT NOTICED THE DRIFT ALSO & USED NOSEWHEEL TILLER TO HELP STEER. THE CREW THEN HEARD A 'BANG' AND A CONTINUAL RUMBLING NOISE. THE CAPT THEN TOOK OVER & REJECTED THE TAKEOFF BUT DID NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RWY AND COLLIDING WITH A WOODEN APPROACH LIGHTING PIER. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN WATER. THE RUDDER TRIM POSITION WAS FOUND TO BE 16 DEG, OR FULL, LEFT DEFLECTION OF RUDDER. THE DFDR RECORDED THIS POSITION FROM ENGINE START AT THE GATE. (NTSB/AAR-90/03)

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 737 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
26 Jun 1989 Boeing 737-291
N7375F
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
9 Sep 1989 Boeing 737-200A
N283AU
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
no coordinates
Usair No injuries -
17 Mar 1989 Boeing 737-300
N12318
Oakland, California, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
31 Dec 1989 Boeing 737-204
N198AW
Tucson, Arizona, United States America West Airlines, Inc. Minor injuries -
20 Jan 1989 Boeing 737-201
N242US
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
9 Mar 1989 Boeing 737-201
N217US
Dayton, Ohio, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 1,317 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
2 Jul 1989 Cessna 185
N1731R
Fishers, New York, United States
no coordinates
Paul V. Hyland No injuries -
3 Jul 1989 Cessna 152
N48683
Plattsburgh, New York, United States - No injuries -
9 Jul 1989 Cessna 177A
N3154T
Akron, New York, United States - Minor injuries -
2 Jul 1989 Cessna 152
N4953B
Oneida, New York, United States BFB Associates No injuries -
14 Jul 1989 Piper PA-28-160
N5913W
Hammond, New York, United States - Minor injuries -
14 Jul 1989 Cessna 182A
N6171B
Lancaster, New York, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States