Narrative:
United Express flight 3937 had been pushed back from the gate at Asheville Regional Airport, North Carolina, USA, when it was struck by a fuel truck.
According to the flight crew, after pushback they received instructions from the ground controller to hold their position due to a 30-minute delay before takeoff. While they were holding, a fuel truck began backing up in their direction without the assistance of marshallers. The captain attempted to get the drivers attention by flashing the airplanes landing lights. However, the fuel truck driver continued backing up and struck the airplane resulting in substantial damage to an area under the first officers window. The captain immediately shut down the right engine and made a public address announcement for the passengers to remain seated. Post-accident inspection revealed a hole in the forward fuselage of the airplane.
Probable Cause: The fuel truck driver backing up in the direction of the airplane without the use of marshallers.
Damaged on the ground
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 17 September 2021 |
| Time: | 13:40 |
| Type: |  Canadair CRJ-200LR |
| Operated by: | Air Wisconsin |
| On behalf of: | United Express |
| Registration: | N444ZW |
| MSN: | 7788 |
| First flight: | 2003 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 38506 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF34-3B1 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 48 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 51 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Asheville Regional Airport, NC (AVL) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Pushback / towing (PBT) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Asheville Regional Airport, NC (AVL/KAVL), United States of America |
| Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | UA3937 |
United Express flight 3937 had been pushed back from the gate at Asheville Regional Airport, North Carolina, USA, when it was struck by a fuel truck.
According to the flight crew, after pushback they received instructions from the ground controller to hold their position due to a 30-minute delay before takeoff. While they were holding, a fuel truck began backing up in their direction without the assistance of marshallers. The captain attempted to get the drivers attention by flashing the airplanes landing lights. However, the fuel truck driver continued backing up and struck the airplane resulting in substantial damage to an area under the first officers window. The captain immediately shut down the right engine and made a public address announcement for the passengers to remain seated. Post-accident inspection revealed a hole in the forward fuselage of the airplane.
Probable Cause:
Probable Cause: The fuel truck driver backing up in the direction of the airplane without the use of marshallers.
Accident investigation:
|
Classification:
Collision with airport equipmentDamaged on the ground
Sources:
» FAAPhotos
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 Asheville Regional Airport, NC to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL as the crow flies is 857 km (536 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Asheville Regional Airport, NC to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL as the crow flies is 857 km (536 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
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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