What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) American eagle #3085 (lax-san) N843AE active aircraft was pushed back from terminal by ground crew and disconnected from tow bar. Reporting inspector observed both main gears to the left of the taxi line while the nose wheel was FAR right of the taxi line. The left elevator of N843AE engaged with the right elevator of the parked aircraft causing repairable damage to each elevator. The crew elected not to make any statements to reporting inspector. The parked aircraft (848AE) which was struck by taxiing aircraft was improperly parked with the right wingtip and horizontal stabilizer well outside of the safety line when the elevator was struck by N843AE the taxiing aircraft. At the instruction of the NTSB both the dfdr and dcvr were removed, tagged and secured in quarantine pending NTSB retrieval. Reporting inspector releaed both a/c to carrier following the removal and securing of the recorders. This occurred about 20:40 PDT. Both aircraft had the elevators removed and the reporting inspector made personal inspection for hidden damage at the maintenance hangar.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AMERICAN EAGLE #3085 (LAX-SAN) N843AE ACTIVE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK FROM TERMINAL BY GROUND CREW AND DISCONNECTED FROM TOW BAR. REPORTING INSPECTOR OBSERVED BOTH MAIN GEARS TO THE LEFT OF THE TAXI LINE WHILE THE NOSE WHEEL WAS FAR RIGHT OF THE TAXI LINE. THE LEFT ELEVATOR OF N843AE ENGAGED WITH THE RIGHT ELEVATOR OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT CAUSING REPAIRABLE DAMAGE TO EACH ELEVATOR. THE CREW ELECTED NOT TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS TO REPORTING INSPECTOR. THE PARKED AIRCRAFT (848AE) WHICH WAS STRUCK BY TAXIING AIRCRAFT WAS IMPROPERLY PARKED WITH THE RIGHT WINGTIP AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WELL OUTSIDE OF THE SAFETY LINE WHEN THE ELEVATOR WAS STRUCK BY N843AE THE TAXIING AIRCRAFT. AT THE INSTRUCTION OF THE NTSB BOTH THE DFDR AND DCVR WERE REMOVED, TAGGED AND SECURED IN QUARANTINE PENDING NTSB RETRIEVAL. REPORTING INSPECTOR RELEAED BOTH A/C TO CARRIER FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL AND SECURING OF THE RECORDERS. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 20:40 PDT. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD THE ELEVATORS REMOVED AND THE REPORTING INSPECTOR MADE PERSONAL INSPECTION FOR HIDDEN DAMAGE AT THE MAINTENANCE HANGAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.