Los Angeles Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90009
Thursday, May 21, 2009 16:25 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following push back from the gate, as the captain was taxiing the airplane from the ramp to the runway, the left horizontal stabilizer struck the right horizontal stabilizer of a parked company airplane at an adjacent gate, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes' flight control surfaces. According to the flight crew statements and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, the parked airplane had been improperly parked with the right wing tip and horizontal stabilizer well outside the safety lines.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight crew's failure to adequately monitor and maintain clearance from a parked aircraft while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was an improperly parked airplane that encroached upon the taxiway area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Los Angeles
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90009
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 335633N
Event Location Longitude 1182425W
Event Location Airport Los Angeles Int'l Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
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 125
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
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 47
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27958
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP 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 Jan 21 2011 5:01PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N843AE
NTSB Number WPR09LA255
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 EMBRAER
Aircraft Model EMB-135
Aircraft Series Identifier KL
Aircraft Serial Number 145680
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 1
Passenger Seats 44
Total number of seats on the aircraft 47
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 15852
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name American Eagle Airlines Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4333 Amon Carter Blvd. MD 5494
Aircraft Owner City Fort Worth
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76155
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name American Eagle Airlines Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4333 Amon Carter Blvd. MD 5494
Operator City Fort Worth
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76155
Operator Code SIMA
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 LAX
Departure City Los Angeles
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAN
Destination City San Diego
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 21 2011 5:02PM
User who most recently changed record coos
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 --