# NTSB NYC98LA013: Beech 1900D, N162ZV, Pittsburgh, PA, October 15, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 15, 1997, 07:00 local (11:00 UTC) - Place: Pittsburgh, PA - Coordinates: 40.450878, -79.989974 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4509&lon=-79.9900&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 14 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 15, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39490 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39490/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA013 ## Probable cause the tug driver's failure to obey a stop sign and his failure to yield right-of-way to the airplane. ## 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 - object - vehicle - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, driver of vehicle (cause) ## Analysis The First Officer was taxiing the airplane to the gate after landing. The airplane was traveling south on a taxiway when the Captain noticed a baggage tug approaching on an access road perpendicular to the taxiway from the left, traveling west. The Captain applied the brakes to stop the airplane; however, the tug continued and collided with the airplane's left wing. The tug driver said he may have lost consciousness after striking a bump in the access road. The police reported the bump was at the point where the access road intersected the taxiway, and the intersection was controlled by a stop sign on the access road. The Police Officer issued a citation to the tug driver for violation of a county ordinance, which stated, 'Aircraft always have the right-of-way in the AOA. Vehicles needing to traverse an AOA ramp shall...obey all posted signage.' ## Factual narrative On October 15, 1997, at 0700 eastern daylight time, a Beech 1900D, N162ZV, operated by Mesa Airlines, Inc., and doing business as USAir Express, was substantially damaged when it was struck by a moving baggage tug, while taxiing at the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The vehicle rolled over and the driver sustained minor injuries. The 2 certificated airline transport pilots and 12 passengers were not injured. One passenger sustained a minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the scheduled passenger flight that originated at Youngstown, Ohio, at 0635. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. The Captain reported in a written statement that the First Officer was taxiing the airplane to the gate after landing. The airplane was traveling south on a taxiway when the Captain noticed the baggage tug approaching on an access road from the left, traveling west. The Captain stated: "...I noticed a fast moving vehicle westbound on an access road for bag carts that is perpendicular to the "Y" taxiway. I saw that the vehicle was not going to stop and I immediately applied the brakes [to] stop the aircraft. The bag truck collided with the left wing." The First Officer stated he was alerted by the Captain, but never saw the vehicle. According to the Allegheny County Police report, the baggage truck driver said he may have lost consciousness after striking a bump in the access road. The driver stated, "...the tugs have no suspension on them. When I hit the bump, I bounced...All that I remember seeing was a wing then rolling over." The report also stated the bump was at the point where the access road intersected the taxiway, and the intersection was controlled by a stop sign on the access road. The Police Officer reported issuing a citation to the tug driver for violation of Allegheny County Ordinance Four. Section Three. Subsection E, Air Operations Area (AOA), which stated: "Aircraft always have the right-of-way in the AOA. Vehicles needing to traverse an AOA ramp shall...obey all posted signage." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N162ZV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N162ZV-2011-08-16), registration cancelled 2011-08-16, S/N UE-162, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 1900D - Registry model: [Beech 1900D](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-1900d) (registry code 1154162) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: UE-162 - Airframe hours: 3153 - Engines: P&W PT6A turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Mesa Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: YNG, YOUNGSTOWN, OH - Destination: PIT - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: PIT, Pittsburgh International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 290° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PIT ## 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 19971015045869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971015045869A), Oct 15, 1997: Beech 1900D, Pittsburgh, PA, Substantial damage. (.4)The first officer was taxiing the airplane to the gate after landing. The airplane was traveling south on a taxiway when the captain noticed a baggage tug… 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.