Los Angeles International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90045
Monday, July 17, 1995 21:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UNITED EXPRESS UTILIZES A PORTION OF A UNITED AIRLINES MAINTENANCE RAMP AS A COMMUTER TERMINAL. AFTER LOADING PASSENGERS FOR A SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED BOEING 767-222 WHILE TAXIING ON THE MAINTENANCE RAMP TOWARD A TAXIWAY WHICH GOES TO THE ASSIGNED DEPARTURE RUNWAY. UNITED HAD ESTABLISHED A TAXI LANE IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA WITH A YELLOW GUIDANCE LINE WHICH PROVIDES CLEARANCE FROM ALL PARKED AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAIN OF THE EMBRAER STATED THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE DEPARTURE DELAY SHE ELECTED NOT TO USE THE DESIGNATED TAXI LANE, BUT RATHER GO DIRECTLY ACROSS A NON-MOVEMENT AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA TO THE ACTIVE TAXIWAY. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FOR THE EMBRAER ALONG THE CAPTAIN'S PLANNED TAXI ROUTE AND THE VERTICAL STABLIZER STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE PARKED BOEING 767.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the captain's decision to taxi across a non-movement aircraft parking area instead of using the designated taxi lane to exit the ramp. A factor in the accident was the dark night environmental lighting conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2155
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90045
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
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 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2245 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 839
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N268UE
NTSB Number LAX95LA255
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMBRAER
Aircraft Model EMB-120 RT
Aircraft Series Identifier EMB-120 RT
Aircraft Serial Number 120-207
Certified Max Gross Weight 25353
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 34
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 12114
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK OF UTAH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 SOUTH MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST AIR COMMUTER AIRLINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5588 AIR TERMINAL DRIVE
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93727
Operator Code WTAA
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 LAX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSP
Destination City PALM SPRINGS
Destination State CA
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 --