# NTSB DCA19CA146: Mcdonnell Douglas MD88, N977DL, Atlanta, GA, April 5, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 4, 2019, 20:19 local (Apr 5, 2019, 00:19 UTC) - Place: Atlanta, GA - Coordinates: 33.64389, -84.436943 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6439&lon=-84.4369&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 22, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 99376 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA146 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99376/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99376 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA146 ## Probable cause failure of the tug driver to give way to the taxiing airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=3023688), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3023688), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=3023688), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis On April 4, 2019, at 2019 eastern daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 1276, a Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD88, N977DL, was substantially damaged after being struck by a baggage tug during taxi at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (ATL). The were no injuries aboard the airplane, the tug driver received minor injuries. Night visual conditions with light rain prevailed. The airplane was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Syracuse, New York to ATL. According to the operator, the flight crew reported that the flight from SYR. The captain reported that after landing, ATC cleared the flight to enter the Ramp 2 east taxi lane and taxi to gate B14. The captain indicated that as they began to turn right into the ramp, Ramp Control instructed flight 1276 to give way to opposite direction traffic. As the captain was looking forward to identify the traffic, the first officer called out, "Stop, Stop, Stop!" The captain immediately applied full brakes. The flight crew then heard and felt an impact coming from the right side of the forward fuselage. The pilots notified ramp control and held position. Ground support personnel arrived quickly to assist. The ground personnel told the pilot via inter-phone that a tug and baggage cart had impacted the fuselage and was against the nose gear. Ground personnel reported to the crew that the tug driver was OK but that he did not know where he was or how he got there. The crew and passengers deplaned via the ventral stairs with no further incident. The tug driver did not cooperate with the investigation. ## Factual narrative On April 4, 2019, at 2019 eastern daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 1276, a Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD88, N977DL, was substantially damaged after being struck by a baggage tug during taxi at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (ATL). The were no injuries aboard the airplane, the tug driver received minor injuries. Night visual conditions with light rain prevailed. The airplane was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Syracuse, New York to ATL. According to the operator, the flight crew reported that the flight from SYR. The captain reported that after landing, ATC cleared the flight to enter the Ramp 2 east taxi lane and taxi to gate B14. The captain indicated that as they began to turn right into the ramp, Ramp Control instructed flight 1276 to give way to opposite direction traffic. As the captain was looking forward to identify the traffic, the first officer called out, "Stop, Stop, Stop!" The captain immediately applied full brakes. The flight crew then heard and felt an impact coming from the right side of the forward fuselage. The pilots notified ramp control and held position. Ground support personnel arrived quickly to assist. The ground personnel told the pilot via inter-phone that a tug and baggage cart had impacted the fuselage and was against the nose gear. Ground personnel reported to the crew that the tug driver was OK but that he did not know where he was or how he got there. The crew and passengers deplaned via the ventral stairs with no further incident. The tug driver did not cooperate with the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N977DL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N977DL-2019-09-06), registration cancelled 2019-09-06, S/N 53258, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD88 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-md-88) (registry code 3023688) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 53258 - Year built: 1991 - Airframe hours: 72944 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Delta Air Lines - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: April 3, 2019 - Departed: KSYR, Syracuse, NY - Destination: KATL, Atlanta, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KATL, Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta I - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review September 18, 2018; seat: left; flight hours: 14,470 total, 11,088 in this make and model, 9,204 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review March 23, 2019; seat: right; flight hours: 2,207 total, 273 in this make and model, 82 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KATL ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99376. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483254&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Captain Statement (item 2, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483255&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Captain%20Statement-Master.PDF - FO Statement (item 3, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483256&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FO%20Statement-Master.PDF - Airport Diagram (item 4, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483257&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Diagram-Master.PDF - Photos (item 5, .PDF, 259 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483258&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.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.