What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Incident occurred at 0623 local. United express (blue ridge) 567, a Canadair crj, was cleared to taxi rnwy 35, via taxiway alpha holding short at taxiway papa. Scheduled time off was 0628 local. Nw 811, an A-319, was cleared to taxi to rnwy 35 via taxiway alpha and hold at the end for a scheduled time off of 0645 local. With blr 567 holding at papa, NM 811 attempted to taxi around the stationary aircraft on its way to the end of rnwy 35, when the nw left wing tip contacted the rudder of the crj, causing substantial damage. The nw wingtip sustained minor damage to the nav light lense and scoring damage to the winglet. The nw captain was interviewed by airport and local law enforcement officials and stated he had not been instructed to taxi around the holding aircraft, but that he misjudged the distance available. Measuring out 88' (crj fuselage length) from the papa hold short line and 55' perpendicular to taxiway alpha, there is not enough clearance for NW811 to pass (short by eight feet). Mht tower manager mike baney was aware of the clearance conflict when papa taxiway is used as a staging area. There are no procedures at the mht atcc facility prohibiting the use of papa taxiway as a staging area if subsequent traffic will be instructed to taxi to the end of rnwy 35. The ground controller involved was not aware the papa taxiway hold-short line as FAR back from rnwy 35 as it was. As of 7-2-04, all mht controllers have initialed off on the non-use of taxiway papa as a staging area.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 0623 LOCAL. UNITED EXPRESS (BLUE RIDGE) 567, A CANADAIR CRJ, WAS CLEARED TO TAXI RNWY 35, VIA TAXIWAY ALPHA HOLDING SHORT AT TAXIWAY PAPA. SCHEDULED TIME OFF WAS 0628 LOCAL. NW 811, AN A-319, WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO RNWY 35 VIA TAXIWAY ALPHA AND HOLD AT THE END FOR A SCHEDULED TIME OFF OF 0645 LOCAL. WITH BLR 567 HOLDING AT PAPA, NM 811 ATTEMPTED TO TAXI AROUND THE STATIONARY AIRCRAFT ON ITS WAY TO THE END OF RNWY 35, WHEN THE NW LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE RUDDER OF THE CRJ, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE NW WINGTIP SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NAV LIGHT LENSE AND SCORING DAMAGE TO THE WINGLET. THE NW CAPTAIN WAS INTERVIEWED BY AIRPORT AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND STATED HE HAD NOT BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TAXI AROUND THE HOLDING AIRCRAFT, BUT THAT HE MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE AVAILABLE. MEASURING OUT 88' (CRJ FUSELAGE LENGTH) FROM THE PAPA HOLD SHORT LINE AND 55' PERPENDICULAR TO TAXIWAY ALPHA, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CLEARANCE FOR NW811 TO PASS (SHORT BY EIGHT FEET). MHT TOWER MANAGER MIKE BANEY WAS AWARE OF THE CLEARANCE CONFLICT WHEN PAPA TAXIWAY IS USED AS A STAGING AREA. THERE ARE NO PROCEDURES AT THE MHT ATCC FACILITY PROHIBITING THE USE OF PAPA TAXIWAY AS A STAGING AREA IF SUBSEQUENT TRAFFIC WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO THE END OF RNWY 35. THE GROUND CONTROLLER INVOLVED WAS NOT AWARE THE PAPA TAXIWAY HOLD-SHORT LINE AS FAR BACK FROM RNWY 35 AS IT WAS. AS OF 7-2-04, ALL MHT CONTROLLERS HAVE INITIALED OFF ON THE NON-USE OF TAXIWAY PAPA AS A STAGING AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.