Minneapolis-St Paul Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St Paul, Minnesota 55111
Sunday, November 6, 1994 13:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT AFTER BEING CLEARED TO TAXI FOR DEPARTURE, THE TUG DRIVER PUSHED THE AIRPLANE BACK TO A SPOT CLOSE TO THE GATE. TO CONSERVE FUEL, ONLY THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS STARTED FOR TAXIING. DUE TO THE POSITION OF OTHER AIRCRAFT AND CLOSENESS OF THE GATE, THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO MAKE A 270 DEGREE RIGHT TURN TO TAXI TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN, JET BLAST FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE OVERTURNED THREE BAGGAGE CARTS. ONE OF THE CARTS HIT A GROUND WORKER, WHICH RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. THE COMPANY OPERATIONS MANUAL STATED THAT TAXI THRUST SHOULD BE KEPT BELOW 45% N1. THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER INDICATED THE RIGHT ENGINE N1 PEAKED AT 49.73% AS THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO INITIATE THE TURN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY THE UNSAFE/HAZARDOUS SITUATION REGARDING THE CLOSENESS OF THE AIRPLANE TO THE BAGGAGE CARTS, AND THE CAPTAIN'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION CONCERNING THE SITUATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST PAUL
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55111
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MSP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 840
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 840
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 123
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N518US
NTSB Number CHI95LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 757-231
Aircraft Series Identifier 757-231
Aircraft Serial Number 23206
Certified Max Gross Weight 227500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 193
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 26862
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 150 ROYAL STREET
Aircraft Owner City CANTON
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5101 NORTHWEST DR.
Operator City ST. PAUL
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55111
Operator Code NWAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MSP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DCA
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State DC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --