FlightFinder
Check my flight
Casualties unknown

Near Miss Involving a Swearingen SA 227AC Merlin and Two Boeing 747s on Visual Approach (N3044J)

New York, NY, US

On April 23, 1989, a Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC (registration N3044J) operated by Pocono Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near New York, NY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF THE SWEARINGEN FLIGHT CREW TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE AIRPLANE THEY WERE TO FOLLOW, PRIOR TO ACCEPTING THE VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31R. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A Swearingen SA 227AC Merlin on a visual approach passed about 300 ft above a Boeing 747 near the outer marker after traffic information led the crew to follow the wrong aircraft. No evasive action was taken.

Incident Overview and Traffic Information During the incident, two Boeing 747s were on approach for runway 31R, followed by a Swearingen SA 227AC Merlin. The Merlin was cleared for a visual approach, and the pilot accepted the clearance. Air traffic control identified the traffic the Merlin was to follow as being at the 11 o'clock position. Radar data indicated that the first 747 was only 10 degrees to the left of the Merlin's nose, while the second 747, which was the aircraft the Merlin was instructed to follow, was 45 degrees to the left of the nose. The flight crew identified the first 747 as the traffic to follow.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X28181. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.