Boeing 777 SU-GDL
28 November 2017 · Jamaica, New York, United States · Unknown
Summary
On 28 November 2017 at about 00:45 local time, a Boeing 777 registered SU-GDL, operated by Egypt Airlines, was involved in an accident near Jamaica, New York, United States. The number of people on board was not recorded. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Jamaica, New York, United States
- Nearest airport
- John F Kennedy International (JFK)
- Coordinates
- 40.6397, -73.7789
- Aircraft
- Boeing 777
- Registration
- SU-GDL
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2010
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Egypt Airlines
- Operating rule
- Part 129: Foreign
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Jamaica → Cairo
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- DCA18LA024
People
Injuries not recorded.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not recorded | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The air traffic controller's improper instruction to the Egypt Air airplane flight crew to pass in an area where passing is prohibited, which led to a ground collision.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The flight crew of Virgin Atlantic flight 4C stated that they taxied on taxiway K for takeoff at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Jamaica, New York. While starting the right engine, a fault message appeared, and ATC instructed them to stop in the runup area adjacent to K1 and K2. The captain stated that the area was poorly lit and unmarked, and that they stopped well to the right of centerline and set the parking brake. He stated that, as they were about to check the minimum equipment list and flight crew operating manual, their airplane was struck and sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot of Egypt Air flight 986, the airplane was taxiing to runway 04L when the Virgin Atlantic crew requested to hold. After ATC directed the Virgin Atlantic airplane to stop in the runup area, ATC instructed the Egypt Air airplane to line up. The Egypt Air captain stated that they were taxiing on the centerline and as they tried to pass the stopped Virgin Atlantic airplane, the right wing of the Egypt Air airplane impacted the left wing of Virgin Atlantic airplane and sustained substantial damage. The investigation revealed that a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) JFK air traffic control tower supplemental hot clipboard notice stipulated that, on taxiway K in the areas of K1 and K2, two heavy airplanes are not permitted to pass. Therefore, ATC should not have directed the Egypt Air airplane to pass the Virgin Atlantic airplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 777 36NER | SU-GDL | Egypt Airlines | Substantial |
| Airbus A330 343 | G-VRAY | Virgin Atlantic Airways LTD | Substantial |
Other Boeing 777 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2017 | Boeing 777 | Cancun, Mexico | Air France | Unknown | - |
| 23 Sep 2017 | Boeing 777 | Osaka, Japan | KLM | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2017 | Boeing 777 | Singapore, Singapore | Singapore Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 May 2017 | Boeing 777 | Multan, Pakistan | Pakistan International Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 2017 | Boeing 777 | Singapore, Singapore | - | Unknown | - |
| 14 Oct 2017 | Boeing 777 | Adelaide, Australia | Etihad Airways | Unknown | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2017 | Cessna 150J | Argyle, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 2017 | Dji PHANTOM | Hoffman Island, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2017 | Luscombe 8 | Remsen, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Jul 2017 | Thomas J Hankamp VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV4 | Poughkeepsie, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 2017 | Thomas J Murray KITFOX SUPER SPORT | Old Forge, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 2017 | Piper J5A | Geneseo, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |