Boeing 737-300 near New York, NY — 2008-07-06

Probable cause

Air traffic control tower non-compliance with FAA separation requirements for operations on non-intersecting runways where flight paths intersect, and poor judgment by the Local 2 controller in clearing the Boeing 767 for takeoff without accounting for the possibility of a go-around by the Boeing 737. --- The probable cause of this incident was JFK air traffic control tower non-compliance with FAA separation requirements for operations on non-intersecting runways where flight paths intersect, and poor judgment by the LC2 controller in clearing LAN533 for takeoff without accounting for the possibility of a go-around by CAY792.

NTSB narrative

Controllers at the John F. Kennedy International Airport tower (JFK ATCT) reported a near midair collision (NMAC) involving Cayman Airways flight 792 (CAY792) and Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile flight 533 (LAN533) near the departure ends of runways 13R and 22L. CAY792 was a Boeing 737-300 that had been cleared to land on runway 22L by the Local 1 controller (LC1) following a flight from Grand Cayman Island to JFK. LAN533 was a Boeing 767-300 that had been cleared for takeoff on runway 13R by the Local 2 controller (LC2) for a flight to Santiago. According to initial reports, CAY792 was executing a missed approach to runway 22L and conflicted with LAN533 as it was departing from runway 13R. Controllers assigned diverging headings to both aircraft to resolve the conflict. According to preliminary radar data, the closest proximity of the two aircraft was slightly over 1/2 mile laterally and 200 feet vertically. At the time of the incident, the weather was VFR with 6 miles visibility and haze.

On July 5, 2008, at 8:36 pm eastern daylight time, an incident reported by controllers as a near midair collision occurred at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, New York involving Cayman Airways flight 792 (CAY792), a Boeing 737-300, and Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile flight 533 (LAN533), a Boeing 767-300. According to initial reports, CAY792 was executing a missed approach to runway 22L and conflicted with LAN533 as it was departing from runway 13R. Controllers assigned diverging headings to both aircraft to resolve the conflict. According to preliminary radar data, the closest proximity of the two aircraft was slightly over 1/2 mile laterally and 200 feet vertically. At the time of the incident, the weather was VFR with 6 miles visibility and haze.

NTSB coding

• Air traffic event · Takeoff
• Air traffic event · Approach-IFR missed approach
• Missed Approach (IFR)

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