- Date
- December 30, 2021, 22:45 local (Dec 31, 2021, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, NJ
- Injuries
- 59 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- TC-JOKAirbus A330N633RWEmbraer ERJ 170-100 SE
- Defining events
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA report
- 20211230022302A
- Case key
- 104463
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
Turkish Airlines flightcrew’ s misperception of the distance to safely pass the stopped Republic Airways airplane.
Findings · 2
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.
Airbus A330
N633RW · Embraer ERJ 170-100 SE
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.
Airbus A330
N633RW · Embraer ERJ 170-100 SE
Analysis
The flight crew of a Republic Airways Embraer 170, operating as United Express flight 3417, said they had stopped their airplane and set the parking brake while waiting for gate personnel to finish preparing gate 88 at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) to receive their flight, when their airplane was struck by a Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 that was taxiing past. The Embraer airplane received substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. The captain of Turkish Airlines flight TK0029, said that after landing they were cleared to taxi to gate 63, and while taxiing on Taxiway A, there was an airplane stopped on the right-side apron. The captain said that no information had been relayed that an airplane had stopped short of the parking area, and he slowed his taxi speed, but did not realize that the stopped airplane had not fully pulled into and parked at the gate. He perceived that there was sufficient clearance, so he decided to pass. After reaching gate 63 and parking he said that he was informed of the collision. An inspection of the A330 airplane revealed paint transfer on the right winglet.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- TC-JOK
- Reported as
- Airbus A330
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1642
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Turkish Airlines
- Registered owner
- Berra4
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- LTFM · Istanbul, OF
- Destination
- EWR · Newark, NJ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- EWR · Newark Liberty Intl
- Registration
- N633RW
- Reported as
- Embraer ERJ 170-100 SE
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17000054
- Built
- 2004
- Engines
- GE CF34 SERIES, 9,140 lbs thrust, turbo fanGE CF34 SERIES, 9,140 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Republic Airways Inc
- Registered owner
- Republic Airways Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SAV · Savannah, GA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- IFR
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.7 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.