Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hebron, Kentucky 41048
Tuesady, September 2, 2003 13:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The passenger attempted to board the airplane. After she raised her foot to step on the first step of the air stair door, she placed her foot back on the ground and lost her balance. Measurements of the step revealed its height above the ground varied between 10.25 inches and 12.75 inches depending upon passenger and baggage load. The air stair door was equipped with a single hand rail on the right side of the stairs which did not extend to the bottom step. The company station manual required a person to standby at the bottom of the stairs to assist on passenger deplaning; however, this was not required for passenger boarding.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The passenger's inadvertent fall while attempting to board. A factor was the lack of a company requirement for a person to assist passengers in boarding the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Hebron
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41048
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390312N
Event Location Longitude 0843912W
Event Location Airport Cincinnati/Northern 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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 897
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 23
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14747
NTSB Notification Source Atlantic Coast Airlines
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1639
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Louisville

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N413FJ
NTSB Number NYC03CA189
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild
Aircraft Model Dornier 328-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3168
Certified Max Gross Weight 33841
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 35
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 6111
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Union National Bank
Aircraft Owner Street Address 401 S Tryon St. 12th Floor
Aircraft Owner City Dulles
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20166
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Atlantic Coast Airlines
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Dulles
Operator State VA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 20166
Operator Code VTZA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Hebron
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOL
Destination City Toledo
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing - engine(s) not operating
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 17 2003 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --