Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417
Thursday, September 16, 2010 6:49 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

An Airbus 320, operating as US Airways flight 1848, a scheduled 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 passenger flight, departed Minneapolis from runway 30R and was instructed by the Local North Controller to turn left to a heading of 260. A Beech 99, operating as Bemidji Aviation Services flight 46, a 14 CFR Part 135 cargo flight, was cleared for takeoff from runway 30L by the Local South Controller and was instructed to fly a heading of 180 after departure. The pilot had not yet initiated the turn when the two aircraft crossed paths about 1/2 mile northwest of the end of runway 30L, with an estimated separation of zero feet laterally and 50 feet vertically. The Local South Controller later stated that he became distracted in dealing with a ground operation and did not notice that the Beech was not turning as soon as he expected. An operational error occurred when the aircraft continued straight out from runway 30L and conflicted with the Airbus. No injuries or damage were reported and both aircraft continued to their destinations. The reported ceiling at the time was 900 feet and the visibility was 10 miles.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The Local North Controller's issuance of a left-turn heading to the Airbus without establishing the position and heading of the Beech. Contributing to the incident was the Local South Controller's distraction with a ground movement operation and lack of awareness of the Beech's heading and the impending conflict. Also contributing to the incident was the Beech's delayed turn to the assigned departure heading.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/16/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 649
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Minneapolis
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55417
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID msp
Elevation of weather observation facility 850
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMSP 161153Z 36012KT 10SM OVC009 10/08 A2999
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 190
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28110
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2011 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number -- --
NTSB Number OPS10IA574A OPS10IA574B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part -- --
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes --
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIRBUS INDUSTRIE BEECH
Aircraft Model A320-214 C-99
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 1298 U-220
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- 2
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 182 2
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection -- --
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Unknown Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name -- --
Aircraft Owner Street Address 299 S MAIN ST MAC U1228-120 PO BOX 624
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY BEMIDJI
Aircraft Owner State UT MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111-2263 56619-0624
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Street Address -- PO BOX 624
Operator City -- BEMIDJI
Operator State -- MN
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code -- 56619-0624
Operator Code USAA BEMA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
Operator Certificate Number USAA105A BEMA052A
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- --
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code -- --
Departure City Minneapolis Minneapolis
Departure State MN MN
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1149 1149
Departure Time Zone UTC UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code CLT --
Destination City Charlotte --
Destination State NC --
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2010 10:28AM Nov 30 2010 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record duns duns
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location -- --
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --