- Date
- March 5, 1995, 19:08 local (Mar 6, 1995, 01:08 UTC)
- Place
- Minneapolis, MN
- Injuries
- 18 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N130UEBeech 1900
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950305007629A
- Case key
- 9844
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 pilot-in-command's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during taxi operations. Related factors are the dark night light conditions and the wrong taxi route.
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
The pilot stated as they taxied from the runway to the parking area they encountered air carrier traffic. The pilot elected to leave the taxiway and cross the commuter airplane parking ramp rather than pass behind the larger airplane. As it taxied on the parking ramp, the airplane struck an untended baggage cart and step stool. The pilot stated it was a dark night and the parking ramp was not well lighted where the collision occurred.
Factual narrative
On March 5, 1995, about 1908 central standard time, a Beech 1900, N130UE, registered to Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd., and operated as United Express Flight 6048, collided with an untended baggage cart and step stool while taxiing to parking at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The airplane received substantial damage as a result of the collision. The two flight crew members and 16 passengers on board the airplane reported no injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight operated on an IFR flight plan. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 135, and originated from Des Moines, Iowa, approximately 1747.
The Captain reported the flight was cleared to parking via the inner Echo (E) taxiway. He stated as they neared the commuter airplane parking area, they encountered a DC-9 positioned on the inner taxiway centerline, blocking their progress. The Captain reported he considered taxiing around the DC-9 on the outer Echo taxiway, but decided against it because of other traffic and the DC-9 jetwash. Instead, the Captain elected to taxi on the parking ramp, passing between a parked commuter airplane and the DC-9. He reported he and the first officer did not observe any obstacles on the parking ramp, and proceeded to taxi "...at an extremely slow taxi speed..." past the stationary airplanes. The Captain stated as they passed between the airplanes they heard a loud noise and felt extreme vibrations, as the airplane struck the untended objects.
The Captain stated the night was dark, with light snow falling, and the parking ramp was not well lit. He stated there was no reflective tape on the baggage cart or step stool, nor was there anything else to draw attention to the objects. He indicated he had turned off the taxi light (per company general operating procedures) so as not to blind the DC-9 flight crew.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N130UE
- Reported as
- Beech 1900
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- VC130
- Airframe hours
- 9,668
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-65B, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Great Lakes Aviation, Inc., doing business as United Express
- Registered owner
- Beech Acceptance Corp., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 1, 1995
- Departed
- DSM · Des Moines, IA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MSP · Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,982 total · 457 in this make and model · 1,964 as pilot in command · 134 in the last 90 days · 69 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.