# NTSB IAD05CA019: Embraer EMB-135BJ, N995CW, Cleveland, OH, November 29, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 29, 2004, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Cleveland, OH - Coordinates: 41.411666, -81.849723 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4117&lon=-81.8497&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Cleveland - NTSB case key (mKey): 60649 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05CA019 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60649/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=60649 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05CA019 ## Probable cause The pilot in command's improper decision to continue taxi without a ground marshaller, and her misjudged clearance from a parked airplane, which resulted in a ground collision during taxi. Factors which contributed to the accident were fatigue, night conditions, and a lack of ramp markings. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - fatigue, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - aircraft parked/standing - clearance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - facility,inadequate external lighting, other institution - light condition - night (contributing factor) - airport facilities,ramp facilities - unmarked (contributing factor) ## Analysis With the co-pilot steering the airplane from the left seat at night, the airplane taxied to a ramp area. Another airplane had been parked perpendicular to the ramp entrance with its nose wheel approximately 30 feet from the front of a hangar, and with its tail approximately 45 feet from the edge of the ramp pavement. Per their standard operating procedures, the flight crew waited for a marshaller to assist with parking. When one did not arrive, the flight crew decided to taxi behind the parked airplane. As the pilot attempted to verbally direct the co-pilot and observe the position of the right wingtip, the airplanes right winglet collided with the parked airplane. At the time of the accident the pilot had been awake since 0300. The marked centerline of the taxiway that led into the ramp area, was located 18 feet 5 inches from left side of the taxiway, but stopped short of the ramp area approximately 93 feet prior to where the accident took place. No non-movement area boundary markings were noted. The ramp had been repaved with asphalt approximately 36 days prior to the accident, and no markings existed to provide a visual cue to permit taxiing along a designated path, nor were any edge markings or edge lighting installed, to define the edge of the usable pavement. ## Factual narrative On November 29, 2004, about 1745 eastern standard time, an Embraer EMB-135BJ, N995CW, operated by Flight Options LLC., sustained substantial damage during a ground collision with a parked airplane, while taxiing after landing at the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE), Cleveland, Ohio. The certificated airline transport flight crew, one cabin attendant and three passengers were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated at the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Dulles, Virginia. The positioning flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. While exiting taxiway "J" with the co-pilot steering the airplane from the left seat, the airplane entered a ramp area where scheduled maintenance was to be performed. However, another EMB-135BJ had been parked perpendicular to the ramp entrance, with its nose wheel approximately 30 feet from the front of a hangar, and with its tail approximately 45 feet from the edge of the ramp pavement. According to written statements provided by the flight crew, per their standard operating procedures, they waited at the ramp entrance for a marshaller to assist them in parking. When one did not arrive, they decided to pass behind the parked airplane slowly, as close to the pavement edge as possible, and intended to park on its left side. As the pilot attempted to verbally direct the co-pilot and observe the position of the right wingtip, the airplane's right winglet collided with the parked airplane. At the time of the accident, the pilot had been awake since 0300. Examination of both airplanes by the manufacturer revealed that the accident airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the parked airplane sustained only minor damage. Dimensional data revealed that the overall wingspan of the accident airplane was 68 feet, 11 inches, and the overall length of the parked airplane was 86 feet, 5 inches. The ramp was approximately 156 feet wide. A diagram provided by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, showed that the marked centerline of the taxiway that led into the ramp area, was located 18 feet 5 inches from left side of the taxiway, but stopped short of the ramp area approximately 93 feet prior to where the accident took place. No non-movement area boundary markings were noted. The ramp had been repaved with asphalt approximately 36 days prior to the accident, and no markings existed to provide a visual cue to permit taxiing along a designated path, nor were any edge markings or edge lighting installed, to define the edge of the usable pavement. Information obtained from the U.S. Naval Observatory for the Cleveland, Ohio area showed that sunset occurred at 1658 EST. ## Aircraft - Registration: N995CW (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Embraer EMB-135BJ - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145495 - Airframe hours: 1469.1 - Engines: Rolls-Royce AE3007AIP 8558 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls-Royce AE3007AIP 8558 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Flight Options LLC - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 20, 2004, 23.1 hours before - Departed: IAD, Dulles, VA - Destination: CLE, Cleveland, OH - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CLE, Cleveland-Hopkins Int. ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 30, 2004; seat: right; flight hours: 7,000 total, 655 in this make and model, 3,770 as pilot in command, 192 in the last 90 days, 64 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 16, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 5,950 total, 188 in this make and model, 3,280 as pilot in command, 118 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft broken - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: CLE ## 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 20041129032219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041129032219A), Nov 29, 2004: Emb EMB135BJ, Cleveland, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) PIC[privacy data omitted] ^(right seat) & SIC^privac^(left seat) were taxiing the aircraft N995CW south bound - off of taxiway j to the parking area of… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 17, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=60649. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 628 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414329&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414328&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summary-Redacted.PDF - Excerpt from Flight Options Standard Operating Procedures (item 3, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40222887&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Flight%20Options%20Standard%20Operating%20Procedures-Master.PDF - Air Services of Cleveland Incident Report. (item 4, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414330&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Air%20Services%20of%20Cleveland%20Incident%20Report.-Redacted.PDF - Ramp Area Sketch with Measurements. (item 5, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40222889&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Ramp%20Area%20Sketch%20with%20Measurements.-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Asphalt/Grass Juncture. (item 6, .PDF, 980 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40222890&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Asphalt%2FGrass%20Juncture.-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Impact Angle (item 7, .PDF, 989 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40222891&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Impact%20Angle-Master.PDF - Photo 3 - Right Wing (item 8, .PDF, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40222892&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Right%20Wing-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.