What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)United express utilizes a portion of a united airlines maintenance ramp as a commuter terminal. After loading passengers for a scheduled commuter flight, the aircraft collided with a parked Boeing 767-222 while taxiing on the maintenance ramp toward a taxiway which goes to the assigned departure runway. United had established a taxi lane in the maintenance area with a yellow guidance line which provides clearance from all parked aircraft. The captain of the Embraer stated that in order to avoid a possible departure delay she elected not to use the designated taxi lane, but rather go directly across a non-movement aircraft parking area to the active taxiway. There was insufficient clearance for the Embraer along the captain's planned taxi route and the vertical stablizer struck the horizontal stabilizer of the parked Boeing 767.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)UNITED EXPRESS UTILIZES A PORTION OF A UNITED AIRLINES MAINTENANCE RAMP AS A COMMUTER TERMINAL. AFTER LOADING PASSENGERS FOR A SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED BOEING 767-222 WHILE TAXIING ON THE MAINTENANCE RAMP TOWARD A TAXIWAY WHICH GOES TO THE ASSIGNED DEPARTURE RUNWAY. UNITED HAD ESTABLISHED A TAXI LANE IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA WITH A YELLOW GUIDANCE LINE WHICH PROVIDES CLEARANCE FROM ALL PARKED AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAIN OF THE EMBRAER STATED THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE DEPARTURE DELAY SHE ELECTED NOT TO USE THE DESIGNATED TAXI LANE, BUT RATHER GO DIRECTLY ACROSS A NON-MOVEMENT AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA TO THE ACTIVE TAXIWAY. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FOR THE EMBRAER ALONG THE CAPTAIN'S PLANNED TAXI ROUTE AND THE VERTICAL STABLIZER STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE PARKED BOEING 767.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.