Stapleton Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80207
Tuesady, July 26, 1988 8:19 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE TAXIING TO THE CARGO RAMP, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A LIGHTPOLE AS THE FLIGHT CREW WERE DIRECTED BY GND PERS. ONE TAXI DIRECTOR ATTEMPTED TO HANDOFF THE FLIGHT TO ANOTHER BUT THE SECOND MISUNDERSTOOD AND TURNED AWAY. A THIRD PERSON, WHO WAS NOT A TAXI DIRECTOR BUT WAS A SAFETY LOOKOUT, BEGAN TO GIVE TAXI SIGNALS AND THE FLIGHTCREW FOLLOWED HIM. THIS PERSON DETERMINED THAT THE WING WOULD CLEAR THE POLE AND DIRECTED A TURN. HE BELIEVED THE FLIGHTCREW DID NOT TURN AS RAPIDLY AS HE HAD DIRECTED, RESULTING IN THE WING CONTACTING THE POLE. THE SAFETY LOOKOUT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ACFT BUT HE WAS OUT OF VIEW UNDER THE ACFT NOSE AND HAD TO RUN OUT 15 FEET TO BE SEEN BY THE FLIGHTCREW. THE WINGTIPS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM THE 727 COCKPIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 819
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80207
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLETON INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DEN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5333
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9200
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5036
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37461
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1973
NTSB Number DEN88IA167
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-100
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-100
Aircraft Serial Number 18429
Certified Max Gross Weight 169500
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 5
Number of Engines 3
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MERIDIAN BANK TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 35 NORTH 6TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City READING
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONNIE KALLITTA SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 842 WILLOW RUN
Operator City YPSILANTI
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48198
Operator Code
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LCK
Departure City COLUMBUS
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
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 26R
Runway Length 6697
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --