OpenAirDocs.org

19980311024789A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Fokker F.28 MK 0100 · Philadelphia, PA · March 11, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 11, 1998 · 21:15 local
Place
Philadelphia, PA
Airport
Philadelphia International
Phase of flight
Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules
Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator
USAA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N863US
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC98LA075
Reported as
Fokker F28MK0100
Reported engine
Rolls-Royce TAY65015
People aboard
87
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
21,717 total4,000 in this make and model
N863USRegistration cancelled Jul 22, 2003 · Fokker F.28 MK 0100S/N 11303 · Built 1990Airframe modelFokker F.28 MK 0100Engine modelRolls-Royce TAY-650-15Turbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)After the airplane was pushed back from the gate at night, a fuel truck travelling eastbound on the outer service road struck the left wing tip of the airplane, that overhung the outer service road. The fuel truck driver said that he saw the airplane was pushed off the gate and shortly thereafter he noticed the ground crew were in the process of unhooking from the airplane. He saw the road was clear, and then he saw the tug swinging wide onto the service road, and coming towards him. He said, '...I diverted my attention to the tug driver...in a split second as I made gesture to look back and then look back up I was struck in the head... .' The investigation revealed that us airways had conducted a two man push back in accordance with their ground procedures manual. The us airways ground procedures manual did not require a safety person with illuminated wands to be present at the service road when a portion of the airplane covered the service road. The Fokker F-100 was not equipped with rear side wing tip lights.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AT NIGHT, A FUEL TRUCK TRAVELLING EASTBOUND ON THE OUTER SERVICE ROAD STRUCK THE LEFT WING TIP OF THE AIRPLANE, THAT OVERHUNG THE OUTER SERVICE ROAD. THE FUEL TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT HE SAW THE AIRPLANE WAS PUSHED OFF THE GATE AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE NOTICED THE GROUND CREW WERE IN THE PROCESS OF UNHOOKING FROM THE AIRPLANE. HE SAW THE ROAD WAS CLEAR, AND THEN HE SAW THE TUG SWINGING WIDE ONTO THE SERVICE ROAD, AND COMING TOWARDS HIM. HE SAID, '...I DIVERTED MY ATTENTION TO THE TUG DRIVER...IN A SPLIT SECOND AS I MADE GESTURE TO LOOK BACK AND THEN LOOK BACK UP I WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD... .' THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT US AIRWAYS HAD CONDUCTED A TWO MAN PUSH BACK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR GROUND PROCEDURES MANUAL. THE US AIRWAYS GROUND PROCEDURES MANUAL DID NOT REQUIRE A SAFETY PERSON WITH ILLUMINATED WANDS TO BE PRESENT AT THE SERVICE ROAD WHEN A PORTION OF THE AIRPLANE COVERED THE SERVICE ROAD. THE FOKKER F-100 WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH REAR SIDE WING TIP LIGHTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA075Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPhiladelphia, PAThe driver's failure to maintain clearance from the parked airplane. Related factors were night conditions and the driver's diverted attention.Mar 12, 1998 · Substantial damage