Event DCA18LA024

Factual narrative

On November 27, 2017, about 1945 eastern standard time, Egypt Air flight 986, a Boeing 777, SU-GDL, and Virgin Atlantic flight 4C, an Airbus A-330, G-VRAY, were both substantially damaged when they were involved in an accident near Jamaica, New York. The commercial pilots, crew, and passengers aboard both airplanes were not injured. Both airplanes were operating as Code of Federal Regulations Part 129 international passenger flights. Flight 986 was en route to Cairo International Airport (CAI), Cairo, Egypt, and flight 4C was en route to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London, United Kingdom. The flight crew of the Virgin Atlantic airplane stated that they were taxiing on taxiway K for takeoff, and while starting the right engine, an electronic centralized aircraft monitor primary 2 fault message appeared. They stated that they informed ATC that they needed to stop and examine the fault notification, 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, and that the beacon, nav and logo, taxi, runway turn off lights, and wing lights were on. He stated that, as they were about to check the minimum equipment list and flight crew operating manual, their airplane was impacted on the left and sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot of the Egypt Air flight 986, the airplane was taxiing to runway 04L and was second following the Virgin Atlantic airplane when the Virgin Atlantic flight crew requested to hold and was directed by ATC to hold to the right in a runup area. ATC then instructed the Egypt Air airplane to line up, and as the crew 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 Egypt Air captain stated that at the time of impact, the Egypt Air airplane was on the centerline of the taxiway. An FAA JFK ATCT supplemental hot clipboard notice which contained runway 04L briefing items for controllers stipulated that, on taxiway K in the areas of K1 and K2, two heavy airplanes are not permitted to pass. 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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-ATC personnel
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-ATC personnel