What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5/1/13 prior to 1924L, united express 4226, an EMB-145, N17560, was taxiing north on romeo holding short of yankee per ground control's instructions for takeoff from runway 22R. While holding short the crew had set the parking brake.
Behind 4226, sas flight 908, an Airbus A-330-300, ln-rko, was also taxiing north on taxiway romeo with instructions to hold short of yankee for a runway 22R departure.
Prior to reaching yankee, 908 was contacted by ground control and notified that 908 had been mis-sequenced and was requested to turn left on taxiway mike. A left on taxiway mike was not possible from that point for an A-330. The ground controller then directed a right turn on taxiway mike to cross runway 22R on yankee, turn left on papa and hold short of whiskey on the opposite side of runway 22R and to cross 22R expeditiously. This re-routing was to correct the sequencing.
At approximately 1924L, while making the right turn onto taxiway mike, sas 908 collided with 4226. The left winglet of 908 impacted the right elevator of 4226 approximately 40" from the outboard edge of the right elevator.
As sas 908 reached taxiway papa they were notified by the tower that they may have hit the united express EMB-145 (4226).
The impact was not noticed by sas 908?s crew or anyone else on board 908. The impact to 4226 however was severe causing substantial damage to 4226. The damage to 908 was limited to the left winglet.
The tower had other aircraft in the vicinity confirm the absence of fire and neither aircraft was evacuated.
Post accident, the flight crew of sas 908 mentioned that they were focused on checking the runway for clear passage left and right, that the taxiways and runways in the area of impact are in close proximity and that they had a frequency change along with strong sun glare from low in the northwest from the setting sun all of this happening nearly simultaneously.
In his written statement the sas capt. stated that ?the small united express EMB-145 was in our sight. The proximity of his right wing was evaluated to be close, but not to (SIC) close and in any event our wing was of corse (SIC) much higher than theirs?.
As the FAA filed it
ON 5/1/13 PRIOR TO 1924L, UNITED EXPRESS 4226, AN EMB-145, N17560, WAS TAXIING NORTH ON ROMEO HOLDING SHORT OF YANKEE PER GROUND CONTROL'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 22R. WHILE HOLDING SHORT THE CREW HAD SET THE PARKING BRAKE.
BEHIND 4226, SAS FLIGHT 908, AN AIRBUS A-330-300, LN-RKO, WAS ALSO TAXIING NORTH ON TAXIWAY ROMEO WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF YANKEE FOR A RUNWAY 22R DEPARTURE.
PRIOR TO REACHING YANKEE, 908 WAS CONTACTED BY GROUND CONTROL AND NOTIFIED THAT 908 HAD BEEN MIS-SEQUENCED AND WAS REQUESTED TO TURN LEFT ON TAXIWAY MIKE. A LEFT ON TAXIWAY MIKE WAS NOT POSSIBLE FROM THAT POINT FOR AN A-330. THE GROUND CONTROLLER THEN DIRECTED A RIGHT TURN ON TAXIWAY MIKE TO CROSS RUNWAY 22R ON YANKEE, TURN LEFT ON PAPA AND HOLD SHORT OF WHISKEY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF RUNWAY 22R AND TO CROSS 22R EXPEDITIOUSLY. THIS RE-ROUTING WAS TO CORRECT THE SEQUENCING.
AT APPROXIMATELY 1924L, WHILE MAKING THE RIGHT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY MIKE, SAS 908 COLLIDED WITH 4226. THE LEFT WINGLET OF 908 IMPACTED THE RIGHT ELEVATOR OF 4226 APPROXIMATELY 40" FROM THE OUTBOARD EDGE OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR.
AS SAS 908 REACHED TAXIWAY PAPA THEY WERE NOTIFIED BY THE TOWER THAT THEY MAY HAVE HIT THE UNITED EXPRESS EMB-145 (4226).
THE IMPACT WAS NOT NOTICED BY SAS 908?S CREW OR ANYONE ELSE ON BOARD 908. THE IMPACT TO 4226 HOWEVER WAS SEVERE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO 4226. THE DAMAGE TO 908 WAS LIMITED TO THE LEFT WINGLET.
THE TOWER HAD OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY CONFIRM THE ABSENCE OF FIRE AND NEITHER AIRCRAFT WAS EVACUATED.
POST ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT CREW OF SAS 908 MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE FOCUSED ON CHECKING THE RUNWAY FOR CLEAR PASSAGE LEFT AND RIGHT, THAT THE TAXIWAYS AND RUNWAYS IN THE AREA OF IMPACT ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND THAT THEY HAD A FREQUENCY CHANGE ALONG WITH STRONG SUN GLARE FROM LOW IN THE NORTHWEST FROM THE SETTING SUN ALL OF THIS HAPPENING NEARLY SIMULTANEOUSLY.
IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE SAS CAPT. STATED THAT ?THE SMALL UNITED EXPRESS EMB-145 WAS IN OUR SIGHT. THE PROXIMITY OF HIS RIGHT WING WAS EVALUATED TO BE CLOSE, BUT NOT TO (SIC) CLOSE AND IN ANY EVENT OUR WING WAS OF CORSE (SIC) MUCH HIGHER THAN THEIRS?.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.