What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 1212 pm on may 7, 2003, comair flight 5347 was marshaled to gate B1, Logan airport, for passenger disembarkment. Aramark aviation services was providing two contractural ground support personnel, privacy data omitted to delta airlines. privacy data omitted Directed the aircraft onto the gate and brought it to a complete stop before connecting external power. privacy data omitted ^ Was the team supervisor and the belt loader operator. privacy data omitted ^ States that as he approached the baggage compartment, he checked the brakes three times. As he got closer to the baggage door, he applied the brakes again and this time, they were either jammed or stuck on something and the belt loader continued to move forward. privacy data omitted ^ Further stated that he tried to shift the belt loader into neutral but it did not help. When the belt loader hit the aircraft, it continued to move forward creating a large, 15"X9" wide hole in the fuselage located approximately 2 feet below the baggage door threshold. The belt loader also severely damaged two aircraft fuselage stringers. Comair airlines dispatched a maintenance team to Logan airport to perform an approved temporary repair and enable the aircr aft to be ferried to hot springs, Arkansas. privacy data omitted Was performing an exterior inspection on the right side of the aircraft and saw privacy data omitted ^ applying the brakes on the belt loader as it hit the aircraft. Delta airlines ground support equipment division inspected the belt loader for proper maintenance and operation. They concluded that the brakes were working properly as was the emergency brake. A board of inquiry was convened with representatives of delta airlines, aramark aviation services management personnel, privacy data omitted . The board concluded that proper safety procedures were not followed and that a two-person team was not utilized in positioning the belt loader into place. privacy data omitted ^ Was sent to medical for a post accident drug screening. privacy data omitted ^ Was also suspended for 10 days without pay. Delta airlines and aramark aviation services agreed to review the events to heighten the awareness of proper ground support equipment inspections and that the operating procedures of that equipment are followed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1212 PM ON MAY 7, 2003, COMAIR FLIGHT 5347 WAS MARSHALED TO GATE B1, LOGAN AIRPORT, FOR PASSENGER DISEMBARKMENT. ARAMARK AVIATION SERVICES WAS PROVIDING TWO CONTRACTURAL GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNEL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO DELTA AIRLINES. ^PRIVACY DATA^ DIRECTED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE GATE AND BROUGHT IT TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE CONNECTING EXTERNAL POWER. ^PRIVACY ^ WAS THE TEAM SUPERVISOR AND THE BELT LOADER OPERATOR. ^PRIVACY ^ STATES THAT AS HE APPROACHED THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT, HE CHECKED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES. AS HE GOT CLOSER TO THE BAGGAGE DOOR, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AGAIN AND THIS TIME, THEY WERE EITHER JAMMED OR STUCK ON SOMETHING AND THE BELT LOADER CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. ^PRIVACY ^ FURTHER STATED THAT HE TRIED TO SHIFT THE BELT LOADER INTO NEUTRAL BUT IT DID NOT HELP. WHEN THE BELT LOADER HIT THE AIRCRAFT, IT CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD CREATING A LARGE, 15"X9" WIDE HOLE IN THE FUSELAGE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET BELOW THE BAGGAGE DOOR THRESHOLD. THE BELT LOADER ALSO SEVERELY DAMAGED TWO AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE STRINGERS. COMAIR AIRLINES DISPATCHED A MAINTENANCE TEAM TO LOGAN AIRPORT TO PERFORM AN APPROVED TEMPORARY REPAIR AND ENABLE THE AIRCR AFT TO BE FERRIED TO HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. ^PRIVACY DATA^ WAS PERFORMING AN EXTERIOR INSPECTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW ^PRIVACY ^ APPLYING THE BRAKES ON THE BELT LOADER AS IT HIT THE AIRCRAFT. DELTA AIRLINES GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT DIVISION INSPECTED THE BELT LOADER FOR PROPER MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION. THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING PROPERLY AS WAS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. A BOARD OF INQUIRY WAS CONVENED WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF DELTA AIRLINES, ARAMARK AVIATION SERVICES MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ . THE BOARD CONCLUDED THAT PROPER SAFETY PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED AND THAT A TWO-PERSON TEAM WAS NOT UTILIZED IN POSITIONING THE BELT LOADER INTO PLACE. ^PRIVACY ^ WAS SENT TO MEDICAL FOR A POST ACCIDENT DRUG SCREENING. ^PRIVACY ^ WAS ALSO SUSPENDED FOR 10 DAYS WITHOUT PAY. DELTA AIRLINES AND ARAMARK AVIATION SERVICES AGREED TO REVIEW THE EVENTS TO HEIGHTEN THE AWARENESS OF PROPER GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT INSPECTIONS AND THAT THE OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THAT EQUIPMENT ARE FOLLOWED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.