Fairchild SA 227-AC N550TD

Summary

On 5 November 1993 at about 17:06 local time, a Fairchild SA 227-AC registered N550TD, operated by Northeast Express Airlines Inc, was involved in an accident near Newark, New Jersey, United States. 16 people were on board. One person on the ground also died. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 November 1993 at 17:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Newark, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Newark International Apt. (EWR)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Fairchild SA 227-AC

Registration

N550TD

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Northeast Express Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Boston

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO94LA002

Injuries not recorded.

1) THE FAILURE OF THE RAMP AGENT TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES DURING THE SERVICING OF THE AIRPLANE, AND 2) HER LACK OF ATTENTION TO THE HAZARDS SURROUNDING HER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE 1) THE PRESSURE PLACED ON THE RAMP AGENT TO RUSH THE SERVICING OF THE DELAYED FLIGHT, AND 2) THE INADEQUATE MANUALS PROVIDED BY THE OPERATOR CONCERNING RAMP SAFETY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE RAMP AGENT WAS SERVICING A FLIGHT THAT WAS 40 MINUTES BEHIND ITS SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. AFTER BOTH ENGINES HAD BEEN STARTED, THE CAPTAIN GAVE THE HAND SIGNAL TO DISCONNECT THE AIRPLANE FROM THE GROUND POWER UNIT (GPU). UPON RECEIVING THE SIGNAL, THE RAMP AGENT WALKED FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE, AROUND THE RIGHT WING, AND TO THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE. A SECOND RAMP AGENT THEN ARRIVED TO ASSIST. THE FIRST RAMP AGENT DISCONNECTED THE GPU, HANDED THE PLUG TO THE SECOND RAMP AGENT, DUCKED UNDER THE RIGHT WING, WALKED FORWARD INTO THE PROPELLER ARC, AND WAS STRUCK SEVERAL TIMES BY THE MOVING PROPELLER. THE RAMP AGENT RECIEVED TRAINING ON RAMP SAFETY AND WAS DESIGNATED AN INSTRUCTOR OF RAMP SAFETY. THREE AIRPLANES WERE AT THE GATE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE RAMP AREA DOES NOT HAVE ANY MARKINGS FOR AIRPLANE PARKING OR GROUND OPERATIONS. THE MANUALS USED BY THE AGENT'S EMPLOYER DID NOT REFERENCE WALKING UNDER WINGS OR CLEARANCE FROM PROPELLER ARCS DURING RAMP OPERATIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.