Newark Liberty International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07101
Monday, August 8, 2005 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Six Embraer 145 airplanes were parked side-by-side in an unmarked, paved "run-up block" area between two parallel taxiways at a large, international airport, as they waited for further instruction from air traffic control (ATC). A Boeing 737-824 was instructed by ATC to continue on the taxiway, behind the line of airplanes, and park between the fifth and sixth airplane in the row. With the nose wheel centered on the taxi line, the right winglet of the Boeing struck the tails of the first two airplanes parked in the "run-up block," which resulted in substantial damage to one parked airplane. According to Advisory Circular 150/5300-13, Taxiway and Taxilane Design Rationale, "The need for ample wingtip clearance is driven by the fact that the pilots of most modern jets cannot see their airplane's wingtips." Taxiway Centerline to Object Separation states: "...a minimum separation between taxiway centerline and an object is 0.70 times the wingspan of the most demanding airplane plus 10 feet (3m)." According to the Airman's Information Manual, 2-3-4b. Taxiway Markings, Taxiway Centerline: "The taxiway centerline...provides a visual cue to permit taxiing along a designated path. Ideally the aircraft should be kept centered over this line during taxi to ensure wing-tip clearance." According to the FAA inspector who responded to the scene, the nose wheel of the Boeing was centered over the taxiway centerline.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The airport's failure to install markings on a parking "block" that bordered the taxiway, which failed to provide adequate clearance between taxiing airplanes and airplanes parked in the block. Factors in the accident were air traffic control's use of the unmarked parking "block," and the flight crew's misjudgement of the clearance between their airplane and the parked airplanes in the block, during taxi.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Newark
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07101
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 404200N
Event Location Longitude 0741020W
Event Location Airport Newark Liberty International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
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 18
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1243 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID EWR
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SPECI KEWR 081643Z 23006KT 5SM HZ SCT020 SCT030 OV
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 205
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21387
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 2 2007 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro, NJ

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N73270 N10575
NTSB Number IAD05LA118A IAD05LA118B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None --
Aircraft Explosion None --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Embraer
Aircraft Model 737-824 EMB-145LR
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 31632 145640
Certified Max Gross Weight 174200 46737
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 158 55
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection -- Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection -- Jul 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 161
Airframe Hours -- 6718
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 299 South Main Street #U1228-120 299 South Main Street Floor 12
Aircraft Owner City Salt Lake City Salt Lake City
Aircraft Owner State UT UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111 84111
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC CONTINENTAL EXPRESS INC
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 1600 Smith Street 1600 Smith Street
Operator City Houston Houston
Operator State TX TX
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code 77002 77002
Operator Code VM2R C2XA
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- --
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code EWR KEWR
Departure City NEWARK Newark
Departure State NJ NJ
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT --
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code PHX --
Destination City Phoenix --
Destination State AZ --
Destination Country USA --
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Standing - engine(s) operating
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2007 3:53PM Mar 28 2007 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD MUZD
Since inspection or accident -- Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA NA
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --