NYC01LA023

NTSB accident investigation · Bombardier CL-600 · New York, NY · October 24, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 23, 2000, 21:20 local (Oct 24, 2000, 01:20 UTC)
Place
New York, NY
Injuries
81 uninjured
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N804CABombardier CL-600N786ATBoeing 727-214
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report May 18, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
50537

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

The Boeing captain's misjudgment of the distance between his airplane and the CRJ. A factor was the nighttime conditions.

The Boeing captain's misjudgment of the distance between his airplane and the CRJ. A factor was the nighttime conditions.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Taxi - to takeoff
Distance - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Light condition - nightFactor
Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Taxi - to takeoff
Distance - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Light condition - nightFactor

Analysis

A Bombardier CL-600 Regional Jet (CRJ) was parked where two taxiways split. The parking brake was set, and the crew was waiting for airplanes ahead to move forward, along one of the taxiways. A Boeing 727 attempted to pass obliquely behind the CRJ, on the other taxiway. The Boeing captain was aware the CRJ's location, and believed he had adequate clearance. However, while proceeding, on taxiway centerline, the Boeing crew felt a slight bump. They believed it was a seam in the concrete, but then heard the CRJ crew report the impact over the radio. The Boeing's left wing had struck the CRJ's right winglet, from aft, forward. The accident occurred at night.

A Bombardier CL-600 Regional Jet (CRJ) was stopped in an area where the taxiway split in two. The parking brake was set, and the crew was waiting for airplanes ahead to move forward, along one of the taxiways. A Boeing 727 attempted to pass obliquely behind the CRJ, on the other taxiway. The Boeing captain was aware the CRJ's location, and believed he had adequate clearance. However, while proceeding, on taxiway centerline, the Boeing crew felt a slight bump. They believed it was a seam in the concrete, but then heard the CRJ crew report the impact over the radio. The Boeing's left wing had struck the CRJ's right winglet, from aft, forward. The accident occurred at night.

Factual narrative

On October 23, 2000, about 2120 Eastern Daylight Time, a Bombardier CL-600 Regional Jet (CRJ), N804CA, operating as Comair flight 5958, sustained substantial damage when it was struck by another airplane, while stopped in a taxiway at La Guardia International Airport (LGA), New York, New York. The other airplane, a Boeing 727-214, N786AT, operating as American Trans Air (ATA) flight 596, sustained minor damage. None of the 3 crewmembers and 36 passengers aboard the CRJ were injured, nor were any of the 7 crewmembers and 35 passengers onboard the Boeing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The CRJ had an instrument rules flight plan on file to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Covington, Kentucky, and the Boeing had an instrument rules flight plan on file to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois. The passenger flights were to be conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.

The accident occurred where Taxiway Bravo curved to the left, and Taxiway Papa split off straight ahead, in the vicinity of cross-Taxiway Golf Golf (GG).

According to the pilot/operator report submitted by ATA, the ATA Boeing 727 was taxiing on one engine, about the speed of a brisk walk. There were "at least" two airplanes in front of the ATA flight, with the Comair CRJ being the first, and a DC-9 being the second.

Initial taxi instructions to the ATA flight were to proceed along Taxiway Alpha, then Lima, then Bravo, and hold short of GG. Approaching GG, the ATA crew switched to another ground control frequency, per controller instructions. Just short of GG, the crew was cleared to taxi, "Bravo - Papa, hold short of Runway 22."

The DC-9 that was ahead, turned off Bravo at Juliet. The CRJ continued along Bravo, to where Bravo and Papa split. The CRJ was facing away from the taxiway's original heading, at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. "Aware of the RJ's location, the [ATA] captain believed he had adequate distancing to proceed." Proceeding along Bravo, to Papa, on taxiway centerline, the crew felt a slight bump. They believed it was a seam in the concrete, but then heard the CRJ crew report the impact.

The captain of the CRJ reported that he received taxi clearance to Runway 13. The clearance was to proceed via Zulu and Bravo, and hold short of GG. Shortly after passing Juliet, the crew was instructed to hold short of GG, and change frequency. On the new frequency, a new clearance was issued for the airplane to continue on Bravo, turn right on Foxtrot, then hold short of Runway 22.

The captain also stated that due to traffic ahead, the crew would periodically stop the airplane, and set the parking brake until the line of airplanes advanced. While the airplane was stopped on Bravo, approximately abeam of GG, and with the parking brake on, the crew felt "an abrupt jolt/impact."

Damage reported by the operators included left wing leading edge and slat damage to the Boeing 727, and right winglet damage to the CRJ, consistent with an impact that emanated aft, and proceeded forward.

On October 23, 2000, about 2120 Eastern Daylight Time, a Bombardier CL-600 Regional Jet (CRJ), N804CA, operating as Comair flight 5958, sustained substantial damage when it was struck by another airplane, while stopped in a taxiway at La Guardia International Airport (LGA), New York, New York. The other airplane, a Boeing 727-214, N786AT, operating as American Trans Air (ATA) flight 596, sustained minor damage. None of the 3 crewmembers and 36 passengers aboard the CRJ were injured, nor were any of the 7 crewmembers and 35 passengers onboard the Boeing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The CRJ had an instrument rules flight plan on file to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Covington, Kentucky, and the Boeing had an instrument rules flight plan on file to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois. The passenger flights were to be conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.

The accident occurred where Taxiway Bravo curved to the left, and Taxiway Papa split off straight ahead, in the vicinity of cross-Taxiway Golf Golf (GG).

According to the pilot/operator report submitted by ATA, the ATA Boeing 727 was taxiing on one engine, about the speed of a brisk walk. There were "at least" two airplanes in front of the ATA flight, with the Comair CRJ being the first, and a DC-9 being the second.

Initial taxi instructions to the ATA flight were to proceed along Taxiway Alpha, then Lima, then Bravo, and hold short of GG. Approaching GG, the ATA crew switched to another ground control frequency, per controller instructions. Just short of GG, the crew was cleared to taxi, "Bravo - Papa, hold short of Runway 22."

The DC-9 that was ahead, turned off Bravo at Juliet. The CRJ continued along Bravo, to where Bravo and Papa split. The CRJ was facing away from the taxiway's original heading, at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. "Aware of the RJ's location, the [ATA] captain believed he had adequate distancing to proceed." Proceeding along Bravo, to Papa, on taxiway centerline, the crew felt a slight bump. They believed it was a seam in the concrete, but then heard the CRJ crew report the impact.

The captain of the CRJ reported that he received taxi clearance to Runway 13. The clearance was to proceed via Zulu and Bravo, and hold short of GG. Shortly after passing Juliet, the crew was instructed to hold short of GG, and change frequency. On the new frequency, a new clearance was issued for the airplane to continue on Bravo, turn right on Foxtrot, then hold short of Runway 22.

The captain also stated that due to traffic ahead, the crew would periodically stop the airplane, and set the parking brake until the line of airplanes advanced. While the airplane was stopped on Bravo, approximately abeam of GG, and with the parking brake on, the crew felt "an abrupt jolt/impact."

Damage reported by the operators included left wing leading edge and slat damage to the Boeing 727, and right winglet damage to the CRJ, consistent with an impact that emanated aft, and proceeded forward.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N804CA
Reported as
Bombardier CL-600
Category
Airplane
Serial number
7352
Engine
GE CF34-3B1, 9,220 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 121
Registered owner
Comair
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Departed
LGA
Destination
CVG · Covington, KY
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
LGA · La Guardia

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Registration
N786AT
Reported as
Boeing 727-214
Category
Airplane
Serial number
21692
Airframe hours
56,593
Engine
P&W JT8D-17, 16,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Part 121
Operator
American Trans Air
Registered owner
Suntrust Bank
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · October 19, 2000 · 13 hours before
Departed
LGA
Destination
MDW · Chicago, IL
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
LGA · La Guardia

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N804CA
Age
30
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,362 total · 1,794 in this make and model · 83 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N786AT
Age
39
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
8,300 total · 2,479 in this make and model · 156 in the last 90 days · 69 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
180° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
LGA

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.