John F. Kennedy International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York, New York
Monday, April 20, 2009 15:24 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the initial approach, gusty wind conditions could be seen in the recorder airspeed data consistent with the weather conditions broadcast to the flight crew (16 knots gusting to 24 knots). As a result, the flight crew added an appropriate wind additive to the reference landing speed (Vref). The airplane touched down in the touchdown zone approximately 1,600 feet from the threshold with a recorded normal acceleration (Nz) consistent with a “firm” landing. As the main gear touched down, a full nose down column was applied that produced a very high nose-down pitch rate, which resulted in a hard nose gear touchdown. The recorded normal acceleration at nose gear touchdown was 1.8 g, however, the actual load applied at the nose gear was much higher because the accelerometers are located in the main gear wheel well. The peak nose gear load experienced at nose gear contact exceeded the design-limit load by as much as 46%. The recorded normal and pitch accelerations, calculated data, and estimated nose gear loads confirm that the aircraft experienced a bending moment that exceeded both the design requirements and the structural capability of the fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The first officer’s input of full nose down elevator at touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1524
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City New York
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport John F. Kennedy International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KJFK
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 13
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1851 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KJFK
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 220
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 15 2010 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record sedj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CN-RNT
NTSB Number DCA09FA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 767
Aircraft Series Identifier 300
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 29543
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name SVERIGE AIRCRAFT LEASING WORLDWIDE A.B
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Stockholm
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country SW
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ROYAL AIR MAROC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CASABLANCA
Operator State --
Operator Country MO
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code RMRF
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number RMRF669H
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GMMN
Departure City CASABLANCA
Departure State --
Departure Country MO
Departure Time 1046
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KJFK
Destination City New York
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 15 2010 2:26PM
User who most recently changed record sedj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 04R
Runway Length 8400
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --