Washington Dulles Internationa Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dulles, Virginia 20166
Friday, August 10, 2012 15:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On August 10, 2012, at about 3:15 PM EDT, Lufthansa flight 417, an Airbus A330, D-AIKE, collided with Colgan Air flight 3912 (d.b.a. United Express), a Bombardier DHC-8-400, N341NG, while the Airbus was taxiing for takeoff from Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia. At the time of the accident, the DHC-8 was stationary and waiting for ramp workers to assist with parking at gate A1C. There were no injuries to any of the passengers or crewmembers on either airplane. The DHC-8 received substantial damage to its rudder and vertical stabilizer and the Airbus sustained minor damage to its right wingtip. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The Airbus was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 129. The DHC-8 was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Dulles
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20166
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Washington Dulles Internationa
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IAD
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 72
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2012 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record schd
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number D-AIKE N341NG
NTSB Number DCA12FA122A DCA12FA122B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes Yes
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIRBUS BOMBARDIER INC
Aircraft Model A330 DHC-8-402
Aircraft Series Identifier 343 --
Aircraft Serial Number -- 4341
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- 70
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
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 Lufthansa COLGAN AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address -- 1689 NONCONNAH BLVD
Aircraft Owner City -- MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State -- TN
Aircraft Owner Country GE USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode -- 38132-2105
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name Lufthansa COLGAN AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City -- --
Operator State -- --
Operator Country GE USA
Operator Zip code -- --
Operator Code -- NSVA
Owner has at least one certificate None Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
Operator Certificate Number -- NSVA519S
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- --
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes No
Departure Airport Code IAD PIT
Departure City Dulles Pittsburgh
Departure State VA PA
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- --
Departure Time Zone EDT --
Destination Same as Local Flt -- crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FRA IAD
Destination City Frankfurt Dulles
Destination State -- VA
Destination Country GE USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2012 4:24PM Aug 13 2012 4:23PM
User who most recently changed record schd schd
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A N/A
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --