Cleveland-Hopkins Int. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Ohio 44135
Monday, November 29, 2004 17:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

With the co-pilot steering the airplane from the left seat at night, the airplane taxied to a ramp area. Another airplane had been parked perpendicular to the ramp entrance with its nose wheel approximately 30 feet from the front of a hangar, and with its tail approximately 45 feet from the edge of the ramp pavement. Per their standard operating procedures, the flight crew waited for a marshaller to assist with parking. When one did not arrive, the flight crew decided to taxi behind the parked airplane. As the pilot attempted to verbally direct the co-pilot and observe the position of the right wingtip, the airplanes right winglet collided with the parked airplane. At the time of the accident the pilot had been awake since 0300. The marked centerline of the taxiway that led into the ramp area, was located 18 feet 5 inches from left side of the taxiway, but stopped short of the ramp area approximately 93 feet prior to where the accident took place. No non-movement area boundary markings were noted. The ramp had been repaved with asphalt approximately 36 days prior to the accident, and no markings existed to provide a visual cue to permit taxiing along a designated path, nor were any edge markings or edge lighting installed, to define the edge of the usable pavement.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot in command's improper decision to continue taxi without a ground marshaller, and her misjudged clearance from a parked airplane, which resulted in a ground collision during taxi. Factors which contributed to the accident were fatigue, night conditions, and a lack of ramp markings.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Cleveland
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44135
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412442N
Event Location Longitude 0815059W
Event Location Airport Cleveland-Hopkins Int.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLE
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 791
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2251 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 791
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17315
NTSB Notification Source Cleveland FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Nov 30 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Cleveland

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N995CW
NTSB Number IAD05CA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Embraer
Aircraft Model EMB-135BJ
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 145495
Certified Max Gross Weight 49097
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 17
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23.1
Airframe Hours 1469.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 299 S. Main St.
Aircraft Owner City Salt Lake City
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Flight Options LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 26180 Curtiss-Wright Pkwy.
Operator City Richmond Heights
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 44143
Operator Code DJFA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IAD
Departure City Dulles
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLE
Destination City Cleveland
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --