# NTSB DEN05IA046: Beech 1900D, N202UX, Denver, CO, January 4, 2005 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: January 3, 2005, 19:34 local (Jan 4, 2005, 02:34 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.849269, -104.699867 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8493&lon=-104.6999&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 15 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60850 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05IA046 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60850/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05IA046 ## Probable cause the tug driver's failure to maintain operational control of the tug, resulting in impact with an airplane. Contributing factors include the tug driver's improper procedure, the tug driver's inadequate initial ground equipment training, and the company/operator's inadequate certification/approval of the tug driver. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, standing - engine(s) not operating - improper use of procedure, driver of vehicle (contributing factor) - miscellaneous, driver of vehicle (cause) - inadequate certification/approval, company/operator mgmt (contributing factor) - inadequate initial training, driver of vehicle (contributing factor) - object - vehicle (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to witnesses, the tug was parked behind the left wing of the airplane, facing in the opposite direction, with its engine running. The airplane's engines were not running. When the tug operator "jumped" onto the tug, he lost his footing and slipped. As he grabbed for something to catch his balance, his right arm hit the tug's gearshift lever. As the tug started moving forward in a right turn, the tug operator's left foot became caught between the tug's frame and left rear tire. The tug circled around the left wing tip of the airplane and it struck the left engine nacelle. The tug operator's foot became wedged between the tug and the airplane's stairs, resulting in a sprained left ankle and a few minor lacerations. The airplane sustained minor damage to the left engine nacelle and one propeller blade. According to the FAA, the tug operator's training records did not reflect the tug operator's qualifications to operate ground equipment, including the gas powered Kubota tug involved in this incident. ## Factual narrative On January 3, 2005, at 1934 mountain standard time, a Beech 1900D, N202UX, operated by Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd, as Lakes Air Flight 5039, sustained minor damage when it was struck by a tug while parked at gate A52, Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the incident. The airline transport certificated captain, and first officer and 13 passengers on board were not injured. The tug operator received minor injuries. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight to McCook, Nebraska, was preparing for departure. According to witnesses, the tug was parked behind the left wing of the airplane, facing in the opposite direction, with its engine running. The airplane's engines were not running. When the tug operator "jumped" onto the tug, he lost his footing and slipped. As he grabbed for something to catch his balance, his right arm hit the tug's gearshift lever. As the tug started moving forward in a right turn, the tug operator's left foot became caught between the tug's frame and left rear tire. The tug circled around the left wing tip of the airplane and it struck the left engine nacelle. The tug operator's foot became wedged between the tug and the airplane's stairs, resulting in a sprained left ankle and a few minor lacerations. The airplane sustained minor damage to the left engine nacelle and one propeller blade. According to the FAA, the tug operator's training records did not reflect the tug operator's qualifications to operate ground equipment, including the gas powered Kubota tug involved in this incident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N202UX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N202UX), registered now, S/N UE-202, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 1900D - Registry model: [Beech 1900D](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-1900d) (registry code 1154162) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6a-67D 1279 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Great Lakes Aviation LTD. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: DEN, Denver, CO - Destination: MCK, Denver, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DEN, Denver Internationl ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,150 in this make and model, 1,450 as pilot in command, 259 in the last 90 days, 89 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 20° at 4 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: KDEN ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20050103000799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050103000799I), Jan 3, 2005: Beech 1900D, Denver, CO, Minor damage. (-23) Flight 5039 a BE-1900-D operated by glba had just completed boarding at den for a flight to mck. The engines had not been started and the air stair door… 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.