Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phoenix, Arizona 85034
Sunday, September 21, 2003 16:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On push back from the gate, the airplane collided with a parked and unoccupied Bombardier CL-65. The elevator of the CL-65 sliced through the rudder of deHavilland. A ground agent was pushing the deHavilland from the gate and did not clear the 30-foot turn line. He then pushed the tail into the CL-65; as a result, the elevator of the CL-65 sliced through the rudder of the deHavilland. The operator felt the accident could have been prevented if the ground agent would have watched his wing walkers during the push back and cleared the turn line, prior to turning the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the ground agent's inadequate visual lookout during push back, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance between the airplanes.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Phoenix
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85034
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 332603N
Event Location Longitude 1120029W
Event Location Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHX
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 --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 32
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14626
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2003 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N455YV
NTSB Number LAX03LA295
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DH-8-202
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 455
Certified Max Gross Weight 36500
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mesa Airlines, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Phoenix
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code MASA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code PHX
Departure City Phoenix
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YUM
Destination City Yuma
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2003 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
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 --