- Date
- June 13, 2013, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Nashville, TN
- Injuries
- 156 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N995DLMcdonnell Douglas MD-88
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20130613010889A
- Case key
- 87196
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 flight crews failure to maintain clearance from the light pole while taxiing.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
With an expected 20 to 25 minute hold time before departure, the airplane was pushed back from the gate and ground clearance was given for the flight crew to taxi to a hold area to wait. While positioning in the hold area, the airplane's right wing impacted a light pole. The passengers were deplaned via air stairs and no injuries occurred. An examination of the right wing by maintenance personnel revealed that the right wing spar had sustained substantial damage. The Captain, who was at the controls, reported that he had not seen the light pole before impact. The First Officer reported looking up and seeing the light pole; however, he observed that the Captain was turning away from the pole before the impact. It was further reported that there was no pre impact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane's flight controls.
Factual narrative
With an expected 20 to 25 minute hold time before departure, the airplane was pushed back from the gate and ground clearance was given for the flight crew to taxi to a hold area to wait. While positioning in the hold area, the airplane's right wing impacted a light pole. The passengers were deplaned via air stairs and no injuries occurred. An examination of the right wing by maintenance personnel revealed that the right wing spar had sustained substantial damage. The Captain, who was at the controls, reported that he had not seen the light pole before impact. The First Officer reported looking up and seeing the light pole; however, he observed that the Captain was turning away from the pole before the impact. It was further reported that there was no pre impact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane's flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N995DL
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 53362
- Airframe hours
- 56,640
- Engines
- P & W JT8D-219, 21,700 lbs thrust, turbo fanP & W JT8D-219, 21,700 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 13, 2014
- Departed
- BNA · Nashville, TN
- Destination
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KBNA · Nashville International
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 25, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 10,317 total · 6,935 in this make and model · 185 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 20, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,765 total · 2,765 in this make and model · 217 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KBNA, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 17.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.