- Date
- January 30, 2008, 00:15 local (05:15 UTC)
- Place
- Charlotte, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N55FBombardier 35A
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080130013219A
- Case key
- 67443
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 tug driver's failure to stop for a taxiway stop sign.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
A Bombardier (LearJet) 35A had just landed, and was taxiing on taxiway A during night conditions. A tug was traveling south on an access road, and approaching the taxiway A stop sign. The tug did not slow for the stop sign, traveled past it, and struck the nose of the airplane. The stop sign had flashing red lights that were operating at the time of the collision, and the driver of the tug did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the vehicle. The recorded weather at the airport, about the time of the accident, included scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, and 8 miles visibility in light rain.
Factual narrative
According to an airport police incident report, a Bombardier (LearJet) 35A had just landed, and was taxiing on taxiway A during night conditions. A witness reported that the tug was traveling south on an access road, and approaching the taxiway A stop sign. The witness added that the tug did not slow for the stop sign, traveled past it, and struck the nose of the airplane. The witness further stated that the stop sign had flashing red lights that were operating at the time of the collision. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the radome area, which required a major repair. The driver of the tug did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the vehicle. The recorded weather at the airport, about the time of the accident, included scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, and 8 miles visibility in light rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55F
- Reported as
- Bombardier 35A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 147
- Airframe hours
- 26,320
- Engines
- Honeywell TFE 731, 3,500 lbs thrust, turbo fanHoneywell TFE 731, 3,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- AirNet Systems Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 1, 2007 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- PHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Destination
- CLT · Charlotte, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CLT · Charlotte/Douglas Internationa
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
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 29,800 total · 17,000 in this make and model · 27,400 as pilot in command · 121 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,396 total · 69 in this make and model · 2,185 as pilot in command · 132 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- CLT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.