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2008 JFK Near Midair Collision Involving Cayman Airways and LAN (N90)

New York, NY, United States

On July 6, 2008, a Boeing 737-300 (registration N90) operated by CAYMAN AIRWAYS LTD was involved in an aviation accident near New York, NY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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… This summary draws on records from NTSB; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 737-300
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

On July 5, 2008, a near midair collision occurred at JFK between Cayman Airways 792 and LAN 533. Radar showed a minimum separation of 0.57 nm and 200 feet. No injuries or damage resulted.

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On July 5, 2008, at 8:36 p.m. EDT, air traffic controllers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) reported a near midair collision (NMAC) involving Cayman Airways flight 792 (CAY792) and Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile flight 533 (LAN533). The incident occurred near the departure ends of runways 13R and 22L. CAY792 was a Boeing 737-300 operating from Grand Cayman Island to JFK, while LAN533 was a Boeing 767-300 departing for Santiago, Chile. Both aircraft were operating under 14 CFR Part 129 for foreign-carrier passenger flights in visual conditions under instrument flight rules (IFR). No damage or injuries were reported. Following the event, CAY792 was vectored for another approach and landed successfully, while LAN533 continued its departure.

Contributing factors

ATC personnel

Related events

Same aircraft family

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 6 Jul 2008 Boeing 737-300 accident near New York, NY?

On July 5, 2008, a near midair collision occurred at JFK between Cayman Airways 792 and LAN 533. Radar showed a minimum separation of 0.57 nm and 200 feet. No injuries or damage resulted.

Were there any fatalities in the 6 Jul 2008 Boeing 737-300 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 6 Jul 2008 involved a Boeing 737-300, registration N90, operated by CAYMAN AIRWAYS LTD, at New York, NY.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

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.

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