Pittsburgh Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15231
Sunday, February 1, 2004 17:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was parked at the gate, when a baggage cart became disconnected from the tug which was towing it, and impacted the left side of the fuselage. Examination of the tug revealed a broken E-hitch pin where the baggage cart became disconnected.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the baggage cart E-hitch pin, which resulted in the baggage cart separating from its tug, and subsequently impacting a parked airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/1/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Pittsburgh
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15231
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402948N
Event Location Longitude 0801358W
Event Location Airport Pittsburgh Int'l Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PIT
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 1204
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) 30.38
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 22
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17475
NTSB Notification Source Shuttle America
NTSB Notification Date Feb 2 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office South Bend FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N158SD
NTSB Number NYC04LA063
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Saab-Scania AB (Saab)
Aircraft Model 340A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 340A-158
Certified Max Gross Weight 28000
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 33
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Banc of America Leasing & Capital LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 555 California St 4th Floor
Aircraft Owner City San Fransisco
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94104
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Shuttle America
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11102 West Perimeter Road
Operator City Fort Wayne
Operator State IN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 46809
Operator Code UHLA
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 PIT
Departure City Pittsburgh
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOL
Destination City Toledo
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --