What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 1, 2004, at 1700 eastern standard time, a Saab 340A, N158SD, operated by shuttle america inc. (uhla), as us airways express flight #4593, was substantially damaged when it was struck by a psa airline (vnaa) baggage cart while parked at gate E11 at Pittsburgh international airport (pit), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania airport. The baggage cart had broken free while under tow by a tug due to a broken e-hitch pin. The baggage cart struck the aircraft on the left aft side to the rear of the cargo door. The two flight crewmembers, one flight attendant, and nineteen passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight, which was destined for toledo international airport (tol), toledo, Ohio. The scheduled passenger flight was to be conducted under 14 CFR part 121.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 1, 2004, AT 1700 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A SAAB 340A, N158SD, OPERATED BY SHUTTLE AMERICA INC. (UHLA), AS US AIRWAYS EXPRESS FLIGHT #4593, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY A PSA AIRLINE (VNAA) BAGGAGE CART WHILE PARKED AT GATE E11 AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PIT), PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA AIRPORT. THE BAGGAGE CART HAD BROKEN FREE WHILE UNDER TOW BY A TUG DUE TO A BROKEN E-HITCH PIN. THE BAGGAGE CART STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT ON THE LEFT AFT SIDE TO THE REAR OF THE CARGO DOOR. THE TWO FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS, ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, AND NINETEEN PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS DESTINED FOR TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TOL), TOLEDO, OHIO. THE SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS TO BE CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 121.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.