Pilot Debrief

EMBRAER EMB-135 near Los Angeles, CA — 2009-05-21

Final reportWPR09LA255
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Date
2009-05-21
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Airport
LAX
Aircraft
EMBRAER EMB-135
Registration
N843AE
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Taxi

Probable cause

The flight crew's failure to adequately monitor and maintain clearance from a parked aircraft while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was an improperly parked airplane that encroached upon the taxiway area.

NTSB narrative

Following push back from the gate, as the captain was taxiing the airplane from the ramp to the runway, the left horizontal stabilizer struck the right horizontal stabilizer of a parked company airplane at an adjacent gate, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes' flight control surfaces. According to the flight crew statements and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, the parked airplane had been improperly parked with the right wing tip and horizontal stabilizer well outside the safety lines.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Properly assessing the parking position of the other aircraft before taxiing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • CVR
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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