# NTSB CHI91IA073: British Aerospace 146-200, N608AW, Chicago, IL, January 18, 1991

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: January 18, 1991, 12:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Location: 41.9769° N, 87.9081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CHICAGO O'HARE INTL (ORD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9769&lon=-87.9081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Pushback/towing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/200) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 39 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 28, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14926
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI91IA073
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14926/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI91IA073

## Probable cause

COMPANY PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES NOT BEING FOLLOWED BY GROUND PERSONNEL. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT IS COMPLACENCY BY COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water collision with object, taxi - pushback/tow
  - object - aircraft parked/standing
  - procedures/directives - not followed, ground personnel (cause)
  - complacency, company/operator management (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE INCIDENT TRANSPORT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PARKED TRANSPORT AIRPLANE WHILE TAXIING AWAY FROM A GATE AT THE START OF A REVENUE FLIGHT. BOTH AIRPLANES SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND SHUT IT DOWN. THE PASSENGERS AND CREW DEPLANED USING THE NORMAL CABIN EXITS.  THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT SIGNALMEN AND WINGWALKERS WERE ROUTINELY GROUND GUIDING AIRCRAFT AT THAT PARKING LOCATION TO A PARKING SPOT THAT WAS DISPLACED TO THE LEFT OF THE PAINTED TAXI GUIDE STRIPES. THIS PRACTICE ALLOWES THE TAIL OF A DEPARTING AIRPLANE TO TRANSCRIBE AN ARC WHICH PASSES THROUGH AN ADJACENT DEDICATED PARKING SPACE AS IT TURNES AWAY FROM THE GATE.  WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED BY A LONGER AIRPLANE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO ALLOW THE TAIL SURFACES OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT TO CLEAR EACH OTHER.  ACCORDING TO RAMP PERSONNEL AN EMERGENCY STOP HAND SIGNAL WAS ISSUED BY THE WINGWALKER BUT WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN TIME TO STOP THE INCIDENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N608AW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BRITISH AEROSPACE 146-200
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: E-2049
- Engines: LYCOMING ALF 502 6970 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Air Wisconsin
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Destination: GRB, GREEN BAY, WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ORD, O'Hare Field

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 22,500 total, 4,800 in this make and model, 21,000 as pilot in command, 225 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19910118058059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910118058059I), Jan 18, 1991: Bag BAE146200A, Chicago, IL, Minor damage. While in a turn during taxi out the tail struck the tail of a parked aircraft.

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.

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