20100112026099I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Boeing 737-400 · Miami, FL · January 12, 2010

Date: January 12, 2010 · 21:59 local
Place: Miami, FL
Airport: Miami International
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N728CF
Reported as: Boeing 737-400
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 18,000 total4,500 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days

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.

At approximately 2200L, a Boeing 737-400, N728CF, struck a light pole at the southwest corner of the general aviation center (gac) ramp, bldg 841. The incident occurred after N728CF arrived at mia and was making a left turn from taxiway k to enter the gac ramp, which is an uncontrolled ramp, in order to clear customs. The PIC felt an impact and stopped the aircraft immediately. The aircraft struck the pole with the left outboard slat causing a large dent necessitating slat replacement. Circumstances contributing to the incident were the pic's failure to be aware of NOTAM mia 12/303, "general aviation center apron restricted to aircraft wingspan 78' (group ii) or smaller." And that consequently, the B737 did not belong on this ramp. The investigation also revealed that the light pole that was struck was painted a dark color and was inoperative on the night of the incident.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 2200L, A BOEING 737-400, N728CF, STRUCK A LIGHT POLE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE GENERAL AVIATION CENTER (GAC) RAMP, BLDG 841. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER N728CF ARRIVED AT MIA AND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM TAXIWAY K TO ENTER THE GAC RAMP, WHICH IS AN UNCONTROLLED RAMP, IN ORDER TO CLEAR CUSTOMS. THE PIC FELT AN IMPACT AND STOPPED THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE POLE WITH THE LEFT OUTBOARD SLAT CAUSING A LARGE DENT NECESSITATING SLAT REPLACEMENT.CIRCUMSTANCES CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WERE THE PIC'S FAILURE TO BE AWARE OF NOTAM MIA 12/303, "GENERAL AVIATION CENTER APRON RESTRICTED TO AIRCRAFT WINGSPAN 78' (GROUP II) OR SMALLER." AND THAT CONSEQUENTLY, THE B737 DID NOT BELONG ON THIS RAMP.THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE LIGHT POLE THAT WAS STRUCK WAS PAINTED A DARK COLOR AND WAS INOPERATIVE ON THE NIGHT OF THE INCIDENT.