# NTSB DCA19CA035: Bombardier CL 600 2B19, N202PS, New York, NY, December 1, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 1, 2018, 00:18 UTC - Place: New York, NY - Coordinates: 40.776943, -73.871948 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7769&lon=-73.8719&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Pushback/towing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/200) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Pushback/towing: Ground handling event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor, 26 uninjured; on the ground: 2 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 98734 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98734/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98734 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA035 ## Probable cause the captain initiating a cross bleed start while under tow. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=1390008), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Pushback/towing: Ground handling event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080) (defining event); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080/sequence.md?model=1390008), [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080/sequence.md) ## Analysis On December 1, 2018, at approximately 0018 coordinated universal time, PSA Airlines flight 5541, a Bombardier CRJ200, N202PS, struck a tug during engine start at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Queens, New York. There were no injuries to the 27 passengers and crew onboard. The airplane was substantially damaged. The was operating under 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from LGA to Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), North Canton, Ohio. According to the operator, the accident airplane had six deferred items on the dispatch release including, auxiliary power unit (APU) crossflow, power crossflow shutoff valves (SOV), and the APU. These deferred items rendered the fuel tank transfer on the ground inoperative and required the right engine to be started via an air cart. The flight crew indicated that the tug driver had to use hand signals to communicate back to them because the transmit function on his headset was inoperative. The captain indicated that he had requested to start both engines at the gate to limit fuel imbalance while on the ground, but the ground crew had denied that request. The towing operation was initiated with only the right engine running. A cross-bleed start on the CRJ200 requires a significant increase in thrust in the operative engine to allow the appropriate amount of bleed pressure to power the air turbine starter and imparts a lateral thrust imbalance on the airplane. A checklist item on the CRJ200 Engine Start (Cross-Bleed) procedure is to set the parking brake prior to initiating a cross-bleed engine start. However, the captain initiated the cross-bleed start while still under tow after receiving clearance from the ground crew. According to the operator, the flight data indicated the was initiated with the right engine N2 first increasing to approximately 82.5%, and then to maximum N2 about 12 seconds after start was initiated. About ten seconds later, a lateral acceleration of 0.20 g was recorded. The tug impacted the right side of the airplane underneath the right front galley door, after jack knifing while remaining attached to the nose gear. The airplane sustained a whole 14.5 inches by 7.5 inches and a fractured stringer. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N202PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N202PS-2023-10-27), registration cancelled 2023-10-27, S/N 7858, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bombardier CL 600 2B19 (100) - Registry model: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-cl-600-2b19) (registry code 1390008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF34 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-series) (registry code 30015, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7858 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 35435 - Engines: General Electric CF34-3B1 8729 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electric CF34-3B1 8729 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: PSA Airlines, doing business as American Eagle - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 20, 2018 - Departed: LGA, New York, NY - Destination: CAK, Akron, OH - Airport: LGA, Laguardia - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Data recorder, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; last flight review February 21, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,346 total, 1,351 in this make and model, 2,218 as pilot in command, 195 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 33; injuries: none; flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; last flight review June 22, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,432 total, 526 in this make and model, 1,693 as pilot in command, 146 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 40° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KLGA ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98734. 592 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 498 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9499587&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20LGA%20Substantial%20Damage%20202-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement - captain (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9499508&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CA%20Herman%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement - first officer (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9500084&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FO%20Ueda%20Statement-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.