Tri-State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Huntington, West Virginia 25704
Monday, January 16, 2012 7:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the captain and the first officer, they were instructed to taxi the airplane to an unspecified deice area to remove frost from the airframe. As they taxied, a ground crewmember stood by the wing to ensure the airplane’s clearance from another airline’s equipment and signaled thumbs up to the flight crew to indicate when they were clear of the equipment. After taxiing a short distance, the flight crew stopped and awaited further instructions from a ramp agent on the radio for positioning the airplane. Unknown to the flight crew, the deicing team misunderstood the thumbs-up signal to mean that deicing could begin. Consequently, they moved into a position behind the airplane’s left wing and in front of the left horizontal tail. The ramp agent working the radio could not see the airplane from the radio location and, believing it was still at the gate, instructed the flight crew to taxi 50 feet and stop for deicing. The flight crew initiated taxiing and almost immediately felt a bump, colliding with the boom arm of the deice truck. They then stopped the airplane. The deice truck was not equipped for radio communication; therefore, the team’s movement and position could not be coordinated with the other ground personnel or flight crew.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate communication among ground crew personnel, which resulted in the airplane’s collision with a deice truck.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/16/2012
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Huntington
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25704
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382201N
Event Location Longitude 0823331W
Event Location Airport Tri-State Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HTS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 828
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 651 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 828
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.28
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 36
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31601
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2013 9:29AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N839EX
NTSB Number ERA12LA147
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model DHC-8-102
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 226
Certified Max Gross Weight 32400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 1
Passenger Seats 33
Total number of seats on the aircraft 36
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 11 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 291
Airframe Hours 40609
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name US AIRWAYS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 111 W RIO SALADO PKWY
Aircraft Owner City TEMPE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85281-2880
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Piedmont Airlines Incorporated
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 111 W RIO SALADO PKWY
Operator City TEMPE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85281-2880
Operator Code HNAA
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 HNAA001A
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 HTS
Departure City Huntington
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLT
Destination City Charlotte
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2013 9:29AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --