Cincinnati/No. Kentucky Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Kentucky 41011
Tuesady, November 3, 1998 15:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was chalked at terminal gate with ground power applied. The ground crew then initiated the 'off loading' process. A ground crewmember who was operating a belt loader approached the airplane and as the belt loader approached the 'C1' door, it began to slow down. The belt loader then accelerated forward, struck the airplane and pinned the driver between the seat back of the belt loader and the airplane's fuselage. The driver of the belt load stated his foot slipped off the brake and onto the accelerator. Examination of the belt loader did not revealed any mechanical malfunctions. Light rain was falling at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The driver's failure to maintain control of the belt loader. A factor in the accident was the precipitation which may have contributed to the driver's foot slipping off the brake and onto the accelerator, as he approached the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41011
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CINCINNATI/NO. KENTUCKY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CVG
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 897
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 897
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Light
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 112
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1480
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N919DL
NTSB Number NYC99LA022
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-88
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-88
Aircraft Serial Number 49584
Certified Max Gross Weight 149500
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 149
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INT'L ARPRT
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GRR
Departure City GRAND RAPIDS
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CVG
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --