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| Date: | Wednesday 11 March 1998 |
| Time: | 23:15 LT |
| Type: |  Fokker 100 |
| Owner/operator: | US Airways |
| Registration: | N863US |
| MSN: | 11303 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 18535 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce TAY-650-15 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 88 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL/KPHL) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT) |
| Norfolk, VA (KORF) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After the airplane was pushed back from the gate at night, a fuel truck travelling eastbound on the outer service road struck the left wing tip of the airplane, that overhung the outer service road. The fuel truck driver said that he saw the airplane was pushed off the gate and shortly thereafter he noticed the ground crew were in the process of unhooking from the airplane. He saw the road was clear, and then he saw the tug swinging wide onto the service road, and coming towards him. He said, '...I diverted my attention to the tug driver...In a split second as I made gesture to look back and then look back up I was struck in the head... .' The investigation revealed that US Airways had conducted a two man push back in accordance with their ground procedures manual. The US Airways ground procedures manual did not require a safety person with illuminated wands to be present at the service road when a portion of the airplane covered the service road. The Fokker F-100 was not equipped with rear side wing tip lights.
Probable Cause: The driver's failure to maintain clearance from the parked airplane. Related factors were night conditions and the driver's diverted attention.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC98LA075
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Mar-2024 17:38 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 22-Feb-2025 07:26 | ASN | Updated [Location, Nature, Departure airport, Narrative, ] |
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