Plane Crash Reports 2003

2003 Plane Crash Report Result

Title: A BOEING 757-251, N550NW, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE PARKED

Report Date: 01/29

Plane Crash Problem: On January 19, 2003, about 0715 eastern standard time, a Boeing 757-251, N550NW, was substantially damaged while parked at a gate, when it was struck by an Airbus A319 being taxied by maintenance technicians at LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, New York. Both airplanes were operated by Northwest Airlines, Inc. The certificated airline transport pilot on the Boeing was not injured. The two maintenance technicians on the Airbus, and four ground crew members sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight scheduled for a 0800 departure to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The scheduled passenger flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. The Boeing was parked at gate 9. The first officer was in the terminal building, while the captain was in the cockpit preparing the airplane for departure. In a written statement, the captain said he heard the sound of aircraft engines at a "higher thrust level" and observed the Airbus approaching gate 10 at a "higher than normal rate of speed." He further stated, it was immediately apparent that the Airbus would not be able to stop at a normal parking location. The Airbus struck the concrete support column of the jetway, and the left wing contacted the right side of the Boeing. The nose gear sheared off the Airbus, and the right side of the Boeing sustained a 6-foot long, 2-foot wide gash, just aft of the R1 door. During an interview, the mechanic taxiing the Airbus stated the taxi from a maintenance area to the gate area was normal. When he arrived in the vicinity of gate 10, he activated the parking brake and waited for ground personnel and a jetway operator to arrive. After the ground personnel arrived he released the parking brake. The airplane did not move and he advanced the throttles out of their idle detents "a couple of inches, about halfway." The airplane began to move at a "fairly decent speed," and he realized the throttles were still out of the idle detent position. He pulled the throttle back and applied brakes; however, the airplane did not slow and continued until it struck the jetway. The mechanic estimated that the airplane was about halfway down the parking line when he pulled back the throttles . The Airbus was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and digital flight data recorder (DFDR), which were retained for further examination. Initial review of the flight data recorder for the time period surrounding the accident revealed that about 10 seconds after the parking brake was released, the thrust lever angles for both engines were increased to about 17 degrees for about 8 seconds, before they were returned to the idle position. During that time, the engines N1 and N2 speeds increased to about 71, and 85 percent, respectively. The taxiing mechanic had been employed by Northwest Airlines for about 5 years. Initial review of the mechanics' training records revealed he was qualified, but not current to taxi the Airbus A319/320. The mechanic was not certain the last time he taxied the Airbus; however, he stated that he taxied the airplane regularly as part of his normal work duties.

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