# NTSB ERA20LA016: Bombardier BD 700 1A10, N307KP, Augusta, GA, October 16, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 16, 2019, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Augusta, GA - Coordinates: 33.371944, -81.971664 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3719&lon=-81.9717&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100462 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100462/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100462 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA016 ## Probable cause The first officer's failure to maintain a safe distance from a large turbine-powered airplane while escorting passengers, resulting in a passenger encounter with jet blast. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: unnecessary action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot of other aircraft (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md) ## Analysis The first officer of a Learjet was escorting passengers to the airplane, which was parked about 70 ft behind a Bombardier jet. A passenger was knocked over by the jet blast from the engines of the Bombardier as it began taxiing, resulting in serious injuries. Had the first officer waited to escort his passengers after the Bombardier had departed or maintained a safer distance from the Bombardier, it’s likely the passenger would not have been injured. The pilots of the Bombardier had shut down the left engine to deplane their passenger, restarted the engine, and were taxing back to the runway for takeoff when the accident occurred. They stated the rotating beacon was on and the right engine was running the entire time. ## Factual narrative On October 13, 2019, at 1121 eastern daylight time, jet blast during ground operations from a Bombardier BD-700-1A10, N307KP, seriously injured a passenger being escorted to another airplane at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS), Augusta, Georgia. The Bombardier airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 flight. According to the injured passenger, she and six other passengers were being escorted by one of their pilots to a Learjet. She stated that she was about 70 ft from the Bombardier when she was knocked over by the jet blast from the engine. The first officer of the Learjet stated that he was walking to the airplane with two passengers, and the five remaining passengers were following behind them. As some of the passengers were about to board the airplane, he heard a loud roar and felt a strong, warm gust. He turned around and saw one of the passengers on the ground. He stated he initially thought the Bombardier only had its auxiliary power unit running and believed the airplane was far enough away. The crew of the Bombardier reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector they landed at AGS to drop off a passenger. They shut down the left engine and deplaned the passenger, restarted the left engine, and taxied back to the runway. The captain stated that he used normal breakaway power to get the airplane out of the parking spot, then taxied at normal speeds. ## Aircraft - Registration: N307KP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bombardier BD 700 1A10 (No Series) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 9120 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 4372.9 - Engines: Rolls Royce BR710-A2-20 14750 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls Royce BR710-A2-20 14750 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Elite Air Inc - Registered owner: K & P Aviation Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 20, 2019 - Departed: AGS, Augusta, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: AGS, Augusta Rgnl At Bush Field - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 13,700 total, 1,316 in this make and model, 10,971 as pilot in command, 104 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 15,505 total, 4,950 in this make and model, 13,363 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: AGS, 1 nm away ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100462. 36.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9041911&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Passenger statements (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13426369&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Valliere-Rel.pdf - Global express pilot statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 513 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8962298&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Global%20Express%20pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Learjet crew statements (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8961569&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Learjet%20Crew%20Statements-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8962140&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Statement-%20Blowdown%20AGS-Rel.pdf - Lineman statement (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9057708&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Lineman%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 7, MP4, 32.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9041544&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=Security%20video-Rel.mp4 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.