- Date
- May 5, 1991, 22:18 local (May 6, 1991, 02:18 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 4 minor, 97 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N938DLMcdonnell Douglas MD-88
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910505014319A
- Case key
- 8321
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The van driver's inadequate visual lookout and poor division of attention.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A ford van used for baggage transport was transiting, at night, between the main terminal and a concourse. It was being driven along the designated roadway. While crossing the first ramp area after exiting from under the terminal, the van collided with a MD-88. The ramp & acft were well lit & the acft was in the center of its assigned taxi lane. The left main ldg gear rolled into the rear of the van & the van caught fire. The acft was evacuated via emergency slides which resulted in injuries. The van driver had been trained in accordance with FAA required procedures & was aware of correct operating procedures. He stated he did not see the acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N938DL
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49811
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-219, 21,750 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines, doing business as Atlanta Air Lines
- Departed
- SAV · Savannah, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ATL · Hartsfield Atlanta Intl, runway 27, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 9,700 as pilot in command · 135 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- ATL, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.