Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Seattle, Washington 98188
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 7:00 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Airline personnel reported that the airplane pushed back from the gate with the auxiliary power unit running. As the push back sequence was completed, two deicing vehicles began deicing operations prior to the flight crew configuring the airplane for deicing. Shortly after, the cabin and flight crew noticed fumes within the cabin and cockpit area. The flight crew instructed the deice crew to discontinue deicing operations and the flight crew performed the smoke removal checklist as the deicing operation stopped. The flight crew started both engines and taxied back to gate N14 where the passengers and flight crew exited the airplane via the jet way. The captain reported that he did not clear the ground deicing crew to start their deicing operations. The driver of the primary deicing vehicle reported that he informed the flight crew of the fluid types, freeze points, and concentrations. He added that there was a lot of "radio chatter" and the bucket operator began deicing operations "after we received no objections" from the flight crew. Company deicing procedures state, in part, "prior to fluid application, Ground Deicing Crew member shall confirm with Flight Crew that the aircraft is configured for deicing." The flight crew gate deicing checklist states that the APU and engine bleed air switches are to be turned off prior to deicing. At the time, the APU and engine bleed air switches were still in the ON position when deicing fluid was sprayed on the airplane. This allowed the fluid to be introduced into the air supply lines leading to the cabin and cockpit.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the deicing crew to follow company procedures by not receiving confirmation from the flight crew before beginning to deice the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 12/24/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 700 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Seattle |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98188 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 472659N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1221842W |
| Event Location Airport | Seattle-Tacoma International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SEA |
| 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 | 433 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 715 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SEA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 433 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| 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) | 29.58 |
| 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 | 141 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26108 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2009 10:09AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N516AS |
| NTSB Number | WPR09IA065 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOEING |
| Aircraft Model | 737-890 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 39044 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 174700 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 3 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | 6 |
| Passenger Seats | 157 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 166 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Alaska Airlines |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 19300 International Blvd. |
| Aircraft Owner City | SEATTLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98188 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Alaska Airlines |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 19300 International Blvd. |
| Operator City | SEATTLE |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98188 |
| Operator Code | ASAA |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SEA |
| Departure City | Seattle |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BUR |
| Destination City | Burbank |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 23 2009 4:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | ricj |
| 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 | -- |