Newark Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07114
Wednesday, October 16, 1991 21:07 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED IN SEQUENCE ON RUNWAY 4R, AND WERE PROCEEDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE GATES. THE AMERICAN MD-80 LANDED FIRST. THE CONTINENTAL BOEING 737 WAS TOLD TO CROSS RUNWAY 4L AND CONTACT GROUND AFTER CROSSING. THE COLLISION OCCCURRED AT THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAYS 'R' AND 'K'. BOTH FLIGHT CREWS WERE OCCUPIED WITH COCKPIT DUTIES AND DID NOT SEE EACH OTHER PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. NEITHER CREW RECEIVED TRAFFIC INFORMATION OR A WARNING FROM ATC PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. THE ATC SPECIALISTS IN THE TOWER WERE DISTRACTED BY A MAINTENANCE AIRPLANE TAXING NEAR RUNWAY 11. THE LOCAL AND GROUND CONTROLLERS SAID THEY THOUGHT THE AIRPLANES WOULD NOT COLLIDE, SO THEY DID NOT ISSUE A WARNING OR TRAFFIC INFORMATION. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON A CLEAR NIGHT AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE CREW OF THE B-737, N7385F, TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING, AND FAILURE BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS TO PROVIDE TRAFFIC INFORMATION AND/OR ISSUE WARNINGS TO EITHER FLIGHTCREW. A FACTOR WAS THE AFTER-LANDING TASK SATURATION OF BOTH FLIGHTCREWS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2107
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07114
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEWARK INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
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 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2009 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID EWR
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 36
Injury Total None 134
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 36
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1419
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45213
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2001 11:04AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N498AA N7385F
NTSB Number NYC92FA009A NYC92FA009B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS BOEING
Aircraft Model MD-80 737-291
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-80 737-291
Aircraft Serial Number 49736 21069
Certified Max Gross Weight 150500 109000
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 149 107
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM Oct 7 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 75
Airframe Hours 6034 44541
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY P.C. FLOWERS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH C/O MERRILL LYNCH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON NEW YORK CITY
Aircraft Owner State DE NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890 10080
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address POB 619616 POB 4607
Operator City DFW AIRPORT HOUSTON
Operator State TX TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261 77210
Operator Code AALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code RDU PIT
Departure City RALEIGH/DURHAM PITTSBURG
Departure State NC PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1946 2005
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2001 4:57PM Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 4R
Runway Length -- 9300
Runway Width -- 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --