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19990412045369A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Saab 340B · Boston, MA · April 12, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 12, 1999 · 19:26 local
Place
Boston, MA
Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan
Phase of flight
Other Ground Ops
Operating rules
Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator
PLGA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N347BE
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC99LA092
Reported as
Saab 340B
People aboard
9
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,500 total3,500 in this make and model

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)A baggage belt-loader struck the parked airplane in an area below the cargo door. The vehicle approached the airplane without stopping, and the driver jumped off just before the collision. At the time, the airplane's engines were secured, the wheels were chocked, the seat belt sign had been turned off, and the parking checklist had been completed. The passengers were standing, and the flight attendant was waiting for the signal to open the door. Ground support personnel checked the belt-loader braking system immediately after the collision and found no discrepancies. The airline had a published procedure in place, wherein the belt-loader driver was required to stop the vehicle 50 feet prior to the airplane, and again, at least 8 feet away from the airplane. The driver was then required to approach the airplane with the belt-loader at a 'creep' speed. (-23) while parked at gate 15, business express flight 6240, a Saab 340B, was damaged when a baggage loader driven by a business express employee struck the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial belly skin and structural damage. The aircraft had just arrived from presque isle, ME, and the passengers had not yet deplaned.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)A BAGGAGE BELT-LOADER STRUCK THE PARKED AIRPLANE IN AN AREA BELOW THE CARGO DOOR. THE VEHICLE APPROACHED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT STOPPING, AND THE DRIVER JUMPED OFF JUST BEFORE THE COLLISION. AT THE TIME, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES WERE SECURED, THE WHEELS WERE CHOCKED, THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN TURNED OFF, AND THE PARKING CHECKLIST HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THE PASSENGERS WERE STANDING, AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS WAITING FOR THE SIGNAL TO OPEN THE DOOR. GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNEL CHECKED THE BELT-LOADER BRAKING SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE COLLISION AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THE AIRLINE HAD A PUBLISHED PROCEDURE IN PLACE, WHEREIN THE BELT-LOADER DRIVER WAS REQUIRED TO STOP THE VEHICLE 50 FEET PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE, AND AGAIN, AT LEAST 8 FEET AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE DRIVER WAS THEN REQUIRED TO APPROACH THE AIRPLANE WITH THE BELT-LOADER AT A 'CREEP' SPEED. (-23) WHILE PARKED AT GATE 15, BUSINESS EXPRESS FLIGHT 6240, A SAAB 340B, WAS DAMAGED WHEN A BAGGAGE LOADER DRIVEN BY A BUSINESS EXPRESS EMPLOYEE STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL BELLY SKIN AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST ARRIVED FROM PRESQUE ISLE, ME, AND THE PASSENGERS HAD NOT YET DEPLANED.

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 NYC99LA092Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBoston, MAThe belt-loader driver's loss of control of the vehicle, and his failure to follow published procedures for approaching the airplane with the belt-loader.Apr 12, 1999 · Substantial damage