Narrative:
PSA Airlines flight 5233, a CRJ-200, N261PS, collided with a TLD Jet-16 baggage tug operated by Piedmont Airlines while taxiing at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), North Carolina, USA. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and the tug canopy section was damaged. The tug driver was seriously injured and there were no injuries to the 53 passengers and crew onboard the CRJ-200. Weather was daytime visual meteorological conditions.
After landing on runway 18R, the airplane was instructed to taxi to Gate E4. While taxiing in a narrow alleyway near the north end of concourse E, between the concourse and the baggage transfer point, the ground tug impacted the left wingtip.
The tug was driving on non-movement area of the terminal ramp. The baggage tug was slightly in front of the aircraft at about a 10 o'clock position to the captain of the aircraft. A terminal road crosses the taxi alleyway from near Gate E38 to the beginning of area designated as the baggage transfer point. The transfer point is located outside the alleyway and is lined with concrete barriers. Airplane taxi within the alleyway and ground equipment travel perpendicular to aircraft movement when accessing the transfer point. As the tug turned onto the service road and began to cross the roadway he noticed the airplane taxing in the alley. The driver indicated that, in order to avoid a collision, he tightened his right turn in the opposite direction the airplane was traveling before colliding with the left hand wing. The canopy of the baggage tug was sheared off and the leading edge and winglet of the airplane was substantially damaged. The final resting place of the tug was just behind the trailing edge of the wing. There were skid marks from the airplane tires consistent with maximum braking starting when the airplane made contact with the baggage tug. According to airline ground movement procedures, an airplane on the non-movement area always has the right of way.
Probable Cause: "The tug operator's initiation of a right turn onto the perpendicular terminal road in proximity to the airplane. "
Damaged on the ground
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 13 September 2017 |
| Time: | 0.0019950866699219 |
| Type: |  Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER |
| Operator: | PSA Airlines |
| On behalf of: | American Eagle |
| Registration: | N261PS |
| MSN: | 7959 |
| First flight: | 2004 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF34-3B1 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 50 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 53 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Taxi (TXI) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Charleston-Yeager Airport, WV (CRW/KCRW), United States of America |
| Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | AA5233 |
PSA Airlines flight 5233, a CRJ-200, N261PS, collided with a TLD Jet-16 baggage tug operated by Piedmont Airlines while taxiing at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), North Carolina, USA. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and the tug canopy section was damaged. The tug driver was seriously injured and there were no injuries to the 53 passengers and crew onboard the CRJ-200. Weather was daytime visual meteorological conditions.
After landing on runway 18R, the airplane was instructed to taxi to Gate E4. While taxiing in a narrow alleyway near the north end of concourse E, between the concourse and the baggage transfer point, the ground tug impacted the left wingtip.
The tug was driving on non-movement area of the terminal ramp. The baggage tug was slightly in front of the aircraft at about a 10 o'clock position to the captain of the aircraft. A terminal road crosses the taxi alleyway from near Gate E38 to the beginning of area designated as the baggage transfer point. The transfer point is located outside the alleyway and is lined with concrete barriers. Airplane taxi within the alleyway and ground equipment travel perpendicular to aircraft movement when accessing the transfer point. As the tug turned onto the service road and began to cross the roadway he noticed the airplane taxing in the alley. The driver indicated that, in order to avoid a collision, he tightened his right turn in the opposite direction the airplane was traveling before colliding with the left hand wing. The canopy of the baggage tug was sheared off and the leading edge and winglet of the airplane was substantially damaged. The final resting place of the tug was just behind the trailing edge of the wing. There were skid marks from the airplane tires consistent with maximum braking starting when the airplane made contact with the baggage tug. According to airline ground movement procedures, an airplane on the non-movement area always has the right of way.
Probable Cause:
Probable Cause: "The tug operator's initiation of a right turn onto the perpendicular terminal road in proximity to the airplane. "
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Collision with airport equipmentDamaged on the ground
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Charleston-Yeager Airport, WV to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC as the crow flies is 354 km (221 miles).
Distance from Charleston-Yeager Airport, WV to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC as the crow flies is 354 km (221 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
