Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Detroit, Michigan 48242
Thursday, November 13, 2008 5:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On November 14, 2008, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19 was involved in a collision during taxi with a ground tug with a small luggage cart attached. The tug driver received minor injuries but none of the 17 passengers, two pilots and 1 flight attendant were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The weather at the time included a visibility of 4 miles in fog. It was dark with light rain at the time of the accident.
The ramp agent driving the tug stated that the left side curtain of his tug was open and the right side was covered with a fabric zip-on cover with a clear plastic panel for a window. He had his windshield wipers on. He did not see any aircraft prior to the collision. As he proceeded across an intersecting taxiway, he heard airplane engines nearby, and was surprised. He remembered seeing a glimpse of an airplane fuselage immediately before hearing a loud "crunch" noise prior to impacting the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The lack of vigilance on the part of the ramp agent driving the baggage tug. Contributing factors include the night conditions, and low visibility due to fog and rain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/13/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 545 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Detroit |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48242 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 421239N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0832137W |
| Event Location Airport | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DTW |
| 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 | 645 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| 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) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 1 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 20 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pinnacle Airlines |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 21 2011 4:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | schd |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8698A |
| NTSB Number | DCA09FA011 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOMBARDIER INC |
| Aircraft Model | CL-600-2B19 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7698 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 55 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 5 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 14008 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 299 S MAIN ST 12TH FLOOR |
| 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 | Pinnacle Airlines, Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 1686 Nonconnah Blvd, Suite 111 |
| Operator City | Memphis |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38132 |
| Operator Code | FLG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GRR |
| Departure City | Grand Rapids |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 453 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | DTW |
| Destination City | Detroit |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 17 2009 9:31AM |
| User who most recently changed record | benr |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |