Pilot Debrief

EMBRAER EMB-135KL near Dubuque, IA — 2011-04-03

Final reportCEN11IA270
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Date
2011-04-03
Location
Dubuque, IA, USA
Airport
DBQ
Aircraft
EMBRAER EMB-135KL
Registration
N377SK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Ground

Probable cause

The airport authorities' improper decision to deactivate the jet bridge braking system which created an unsafe condition by the gate agents not being able to stop the bridge from impacting the airplane during a wind gust.

NTSB narrative

The flightcrew was preparing the airplane for departure from the gate. The nose wheel was still chocked, the auxiliary power unit was running, and the engines were not operating. The gate agent had moved the jet bridge about 20 to 25 feet from the airplane, when a strong wind gust pushed the jet bridge back into the airplane, which created about a 20-inch gash in the fuselage below the captain’s window. The airport had deactivated the brake system on the jet bridge during the winter months since the brakes would routinely freeze. The gate agents who were operating the jet bridge attempted to keep it from being blown into the airplane, but with the brake system deactivated, they were unable to do so. The Emergency Stop was inoperable when the brakes were deactivated. When the Emergency Stop button was pushed, the brakes would not engage. Pushing the Emergency Stop button also cut the power to the control panel so moving the joystick had no effect. After the incident occurred, the airport had the brake system activated, and the jet bridge operated normally.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Environmental
First missed decision gate
Activation of the jet bridge brake system prior to the incident.

NTSB coding

  • Ground handling event · Pushback/towing

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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