# NTSB ANC03LA043: de Havilland DHC-6, N886EA, Anchorage, AK, April 10, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 10, 2003, 09:35 local (17:35 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.174446, -149.996383 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1744&lon=-149.9964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 19 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 56857 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA043 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56857/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA043 ## Probable cause The failure of the captain to maintain adequate clearance between the airplane's wingtip and a parked vehicle. A factor contributing to the accident was the failure of ground personnel to utilize a wing walker as prescribed in company policy when aircraft are operated near obstacles. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - vehicle - procedures/directives - not complied with, ground personnel (contributing factor) ## Analysis The captain was taxiing the airplane to the gate area at the conclusion of a scheduled domestic passenger flight. The airplane was being marshaled into a parking spot by a single ground guide utilizing hand signals. No other airplanes were parked nearby, and wing-walkers were not utilized. As the airplane was being positioned by the ground guide, the underside of the left wing struck the top of a parked fleet service van. Inspection of the left wing revealed that the outboard flap hinge assembly was displaced upward requiring replacement of the outboard rib, the outboard flap hanger assembly, and wrinkled upper wing skin near the wingtip. The director of safety for the operator reported that a wing walker was not available or used as required by company policy when aircraft are operated near obstacles. ## Factual narrative On April 10, 2003, about 0935 Alaska daylight time, a de Havilland DHC-6 airplane, N886EA, sustained substantial damage when the left wing struck a parked service van as the airplane was taxiing to Gate L-2 at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled domestic passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 121, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 829, by ERA Aviation Inc., Anchorage. The captain and first officer, and the 17 passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai, Alaska, about 0855. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 10, the operator's director of safety reported that the airplane was taxiing to the gate area after landing. The airplane was being marshaled into a parking spot at Gate L-2 by a single ground guide utilizing hand signals. The director of safety reported that no other airplanes were parked nearby, and wing-walkers were not utilized. As the airplane was being positioned by the ground guide, the underside of the left wing struck the top of a parked fleet service van. Inspection of the wing revealed that the outboard flap hinge assembly was displaced upward. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the operator, in the optional Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation section of the report, the director of safety noted: "Wing walker was not available or used as required by company policy. Marshaller was available and used, but was standing at the parking spot. Use wing walkers anytime an aircraft is within 20 feet of an obstacle." During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on April 18, the operator's director of quality control reported that the repair to the left wing required replacement of the outboard rib, the outboard flap hanger assembly, and replacement of wrinkled upper wing skin near the wingtip. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N886EA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N886EA-2007-06-11), registration cancelled 2007-06-11, S/N 756 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-6 - Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-6-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-6-300) (registry code 2802630) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 756 - Airframe hours: 42442 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 620 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Era Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 3, 2003, 46 hours before - Departed: PAEN, KENAI, AK - Destination: PANC, ANCHORAGE, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PANC, Anchorage International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 3, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,200 total, 1,427 in this make and model, 125 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 28; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 10, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 4,794 total, 1,850 in this make and model, 2,903 as pilot in command, 158 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 315° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 14,000 ft broken - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.61 inHg - Observed at: PANC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030410007269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030410007269A), Apr 10, 2003: Dhav DHC6300, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) While the aircraft was being marshalled into a parking spot in the L-2 gate area at ted stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. The… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.