Anchorage International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Thursday, April 10, 2003 9:35 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The captain was taxiing the airplane to the gate area at the conclusion of a scheduled domestic passenger flight. The airplane was being marshaled into a parking spot by a single ground guide utilizing hand signals. No other airplanes were parked nearby, and wing-walkers were not utilized. As the airplane was being positioned by the ground guide, the underside of the left wing struck the top of a parked fleet service van. Inspection of the left wing revealed that the outboard flap hinge assembly was displaced upward requiring replacement of the outboard rib, the outboard flap hanger assembly, and wrinkled upper wing skin near the wingtip. The director of safety for the operator reported that a wing walker was not available or used as required by company policy when aircraft are operated near obstacles.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the captain to maintain adequate clearance between the airplane's wingtip and a parked vehicle. A factor contributing to the accident was the failure of ground personnel to utilize a wing walker as prescribed in company policy when aircraft are operated near obstacles.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/10/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 611028N
Event Location Longitude 1495947W
Event Location Airport ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PANC
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 152
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 14000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.61
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 19
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14128
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Apr 10 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N886EA
NTSB Number ANC03LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-6
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 756
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 42442
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERA AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6160 CARL BRADY DR.
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? No
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 ERAA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAEN
Departure City KENAI
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PANC
Destination City ANCHORAGE
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 12 2003 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --