# NTSB DFW06LA024: Boeing 727-225, N679MG, San Antonio, TX, October 23, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 22, 2005, 19:40 local (Oct 23, 2005, 00:40 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.533611, -98.469718 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5336&lon=-98.4697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 4 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 62786 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06LA024 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62786/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06LA024 ## Probable cause The captain's improper decision to maneuver a transport category airplane in a confined and unapproved area with engine thrust, which resulted in ground damage and personal injury to an individual. ## Analysis The three person flight crew (captain, first officer, and flight engineer) were taxiing a transport category airplane to the active runway in preparation for a positioning flight when they taxied beyond the last access to the runway and into a confined ramp area. A ground controller observed the situation and asked the flight crew if they were able to maneuver the airplane back, or if they wanted a tug to reposition. A crewmember responded that they would maneuver the airplane without ground assistance. In an attempt to turn around, the flight crew selected reverse thrust and backed the airplane toward a private hangar. Then, the flight crew selected forward thrust and the subsequent jet blast damaged two hangars, the contents inside, and seriously injured a person inside one of the hangars. The flight crew then proceeded to the runway and departed. When the flight crew arrived at their destination on the West Coast, they were informed of the damage and later the ground injury. A review of the published Jeppesen airport chart, which was required to be onboard the airplane, revealed that the flight crew had taxied the airplane into an area that was closed to aircraft weighing 59,000 pounds and over; and aircraft operations with over 30 passenger seats was restricted. ## Factual narrative On October 22, 2005, approximately 1940 central daylight time, a Boeing 727-225 transport category airplane, N679MG, damaged a hangar, it's contents and seriously injured one occupant of the hangar while taxiing for take off at the San Antonio International Airport (SAT), near San Antonio, Texas. The airplane was not damaged and the three flight crewmembers (captain, first officer, and flight engineer) and a flight attendant were not injured. The airplane was registered to AFS Investments IX LLC, of Stamford, Connecticut, and was being operated as Champion Air Flight 2701. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the positioning flight destined for the San Diego International Airport (SAN), near San Diego, California. The flight was cleared by ground control to taxi from the Piedmont North Fixed Base Operator (FBO) to Runway 12R, with no taxiway specified. The flight crew elected to taxi on Taxiway Hotel, but failed to turn onto Taxiway Zulu, which was the last access to Runway 12R. When a tower controller observed that the airplane had proceeded beyond Taxiway Zulu and into a confined ramp area he asked the flight crew if they were able to maneuver the airplane back or would required a tug to reposition. One of the pilots responded that they would maneuver the airplane without ground assistance. In a written statement, the operator said, "While attempting to turn around, the pilot selected reverse thrust and backed the aircraft toward a private hangar. When the pilot selected forward thrust, the jet blast damaged two hangars and the contents inside." The flight crew then proceeded to the runway and departed, as scheduled. When the flight arrived in San Diego, the flight crew was informed of the damage incurred by the hangar and the ground injury sustained. A review of the published Jeppesen airport chart, which was required to be onboard the airplane, stated the following: "Taxiways M,P, and Taxiway H northwest of Taxiway Z closed to aircraft weighing 59,000 pounds and over; not available for aircraft operations with over 30 passenger seats." At 1953, the automated surface observing system at SAT, reported wind from 090 at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a broken layer at 25,000 feet, temperature 88 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.80 inches of Mercury. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, taxi - wrong taxi route - inadvertent, flightcrew (cause) - Propeller blast or jet exhaust/suction, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N679MG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N679MG-2008-07-10), registration cancelled 2008-07-10, S/N 22557, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 727-225 - Registry model: [Boeing 727-225](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-225) (registry code 1384077) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-15) (registry code 52051, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22557 - Airframe hours: 44440 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 15500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Grand Holdings Inc - Registered owner: Champion Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, October 1, 2005, 1 hours before - Departed: SAT, San Antonio, TX - Destination: SAN, San Diego, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SAT, San Antonio International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review October 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 3,905 total, 3,905 in this make and model, 129 in the last 90 days - Co-pilot; age 44; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: right - Flight engineer; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1 ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 90° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: SAT ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20051022028229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051022028229A), Oct 22, 2005: Boeing 727225, San Antonio, TX. (-23) The pilot in command of champion flight 2701 called ground control for taxi from piedmont north FBO. The tower tape indicates he was given taxi… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.