Narrative:
A Cessna 208B, N989FX, was substantially damaged when its empennage struck the ground while taxiing at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI), Maryland. The pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Newark Liberty International (EWR), New Jersey and was destined for BWI.
Following an uneventful flight, the pilot landed the airplane on runway 33R at BWI, before exiting to the left onto taxiway J. The airplane then continued to taxi to the southwest and transitioned onto taxiway AA. As the airplane approached the intersection of the taxiway and a service road, a ground service vehicle approached from the airplane's right. The pilot applied the airplane's brakes and full reverse thrust, and the airplane came to a stop. The ground service vehicle passed in front of the airplane at an estimated distance of between two and three feet, and the vehicle and the airplane did not collide.
The pilot stated that the "hard" braking and reverse thrust application caused the nose landing gear strut to compress, resulting in a "spring effect that was multiplied by removing reverse thrust rapidly." The airplane then pitched up and the empennage struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane's systems.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The ground service vehicle operator's failure to yield right of way to the airplane due to distraction, which necessitated the pilot's use of reverse thrust and braking to avoid a collision and resulted in the airplane's empennage striking the ground."
accident date: 24-02-2015
type: Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster
registration: N989FX
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 24 February 2015 |
| Time: | 06:12 |
| Type: |  Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster |
| Operator: | FedEx Express |
| Registration: | N989FX |
| MSN: | 208B2403 |
| First flight: | 2012 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1103 |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Taxi (TXI) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR), United States of America |
| Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI), United States of America |
A Cessna 208B, N989FX, was substantially damaged when its empennage struck the ground while taxiing at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI), Maryland. The pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Newark Liberty International (EWR), New Jersey and was destined for BWI.
Following an uneventful flight, the pilot landed the airplane on runway 33R at BWI, before exiting to the left onto taxiway J. The airplane then continued to taxi to the southwest and transitioned onto taxiway AA. As the airplane approached the intersection of the taxiway and a service road, a ground service vehicle approached from the airplane's right. The pilot applied the airplane's brakes and full reverse thrust, and the airplane came to a stop. The ground service vehicle passed in front of the airplane at an estimated distance of between two and three feet, and the vehicle and the airplane did not collide.
The pilot stated that the "hard" braking and reverse thrust application caused the nose landing gear strut to compress, resulting in a "spring effect that was multiplied by removing reverse thrust rapidly." The airplane then pitched up and the empennage struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane's systems.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The ground service vehicle operator's failure to yield right of way to the airplane due to distraction, which necessitated the pilot's use of reverse thrust and braking to avoid a collision and resulted in the airplane's empennage striking the ground."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Damaged on the ground
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
accident date: 24-02-2015
type: Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster
registration: N989FX
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD as the crow flies is 270 km (169 miles).
Distance from Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD as the crow flies is 270 km (169 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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