John F Kennedy Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jamaica, New York 11430
Monday, November 30, 1998 10:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane struck a crane that was next to the taxiway, in a taxiway safety area. The first officer watched the right wing pass over a flatbed truck, several feet outboard the 'number four' engine nacelle. He thought the wing would also clear the crane, which was outboard and past the truck. The airplane continued taxiing, and the right wing struck the crane, causing damage to that wing, and causing the crane to topple over, and eject the occupant. The only conversation between the crewmembers during the 46 seconds prior to the accident, was a 'right side clear' callout by the first officer. The crane had been located in the taxiway safety area by subcontractor personnel, who took it upon themselves to remove safety barriers. There were no supervisory safety personnel at the accident site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The first officer misjudged the clearance between the right wing and the crane. Factors included the subcontractor's unauthorized placement of the crane in the taxiway safety area and insufficient oversight of the subcontractor's operations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City JAMAICA
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11430
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHN F KENNEDY INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JFK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 1
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1875
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 30 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number HL***
NTSB Number NYC99LA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 747-400
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-400
Aircraft Serial Number 25781
Certified Max Gross Weight 873000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 0
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 25 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 19773
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CITICORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address HIGASHI-SHINGAWA
Aircraft Owner City TOKYO
Aircraft Owner State OF
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ASIANA AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ASIANA TOWN, KANGSEO KU
Operator City SEOUL
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANC
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone GMT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JFK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --