- Date
- October 22, 2014, 19:57 local (Oct 23, 2014, 00:57 UTC)
- Place
- Minneapolis, MN
- Injuries
- 272 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Pushback/towing
- Aircraft
- N622CZEmbraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170 200 LRN67171Boeing 757 232
- Defining events
- Pushback/towing: Ground collisionTaxi-to runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA reports
- 20141022019512A20141022019502A
- Case key
- 90290
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 B757 Captain's failure to maintain a safe clearance between his wing and the wingtip of the ERJ-170. Contributing to the accident was the positioning of the ERJ-170 by the Compass ground personnel.
Findings · 4
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.
N622CZ · Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170 200 LR
N67171 · Boeing 757 232
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.
N622CZ · Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170 200 LR
N67171 · Boeing 757 232
Analysis
The ERJ-170 had been pushed back from gate G4 and positioned facing northwest on taxiway B with its parking brake set. The B757 was taxiing along taxiway A and the captain reported that he observed the ERJ-170 and ground personnel, however, it was difficult to judge the distance so he offset his taxi to the left to "be on the safe side". He reported the presence of the wing walker gave him "a false sense of security." The wing walker reported he signaled with his lighted wands for the B757 to stop but it was too late and the airplanes collided. The left wing spar of the ERJ-170 was fractured, resulting in substantial damage, and the B757 experienced minor damage to its right wing leading edge slat. In the vicinity of the collision, taxiway B has a distinct bend which brings it closer to taxiway A. Weather at the time of the event was reported as night visual conditions.
Factual narrative
The ERJ-170 had been pushed back from gate G4 and positioned facing northwest on taxiway B with its parking brake set. The B757 was taxiing along taxiway A and the captain reported that he observed the ERJ-170 and ground personnel, however, it was difficult to judge the distance so he offset his taxi to the left to "be on the safe side". He reported the presence of the wing walker gave him "a false sense of security." The wing walker reported he signaled with his lighted wands for the B757 to stop but it was too late and the airplanes collided. The left wing spar of the ERJ-170 was fractured, resulting in substantial damage, and the B757 experienced minor damage to its right wing leading edge slat. In the vicinity of the collision, taxiway B has a distinct bend which brings it closer to taxiway A. Weather at the time of the event was reported as night visual conditions.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N622CZ
- Reported as
- Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170 200 LR (200LR)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17000219
- Built
- 2008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Compass Airlines
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- MSP · Minneapolis, MN
- Destination
- SDF · Louisville, KY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MSP · Minneapolis St Paul
- Registration
- N67171
- Reported as
- Boeing 757 232 (232)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30839
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 45,727
- Engines
- P & W PW2037, 2,000 horsepower, turbo fanP & W PW2037, 2,000 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- September 1, 2014
- Departed
- KMSP · Minneapolis, MN
- Destination
- KLAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MSP · Minneapolis St Paul
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 · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N622CZ
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N67171
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- February 17, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 16,819 total · 622 in this make and model · 167 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N67171
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- March 25, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,707 total · 502 in this make and model · 161 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 140° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MSP
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 20, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.