Bombardier CL600-2B19 N937CA

Summary

On 10 March 1998 at about 04:45 local time, a Bombardier CL600-2B19 registered N937CA was involved in an accident near Covington, Kentucky, United States. 18 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 1998 at 04:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Covington, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Cincinnati/North Kentucky (CVG)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bombardier CL600-2B19

Registration

N937CA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Knoxville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD98LA036

1 person had minor injuries.

The driver's operation of a ground vehicle at night with an inoperative windshield wiper and an obscured windscreen against company regulations which resulted in a collision with a parked aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was standing second in line to be de-iced with position and anti-collision lights illuminated, when it was struck from behind by a baggage tug. The tug impacted the trailing edge of the left wing in the vicinity of the left wing tip. The tug driver said he completed two trips past the de-ice pad prior to the collision. Each time the tug was sprayed with de-ice solution (glycol), obscuring the windshield. When the driver attempted to clear his view with the windshield wiper after the first trip, the wiper broke off. He said, 'I couldn't see anything because of the glycol...I was on the ramp road. I couldn't see out the tug [and] never seen the aircraft. I ran into the wing.' Examination of the tug by airport police and company mechanics revealed the wiper was no longer installed. The lights and brakes were operational. According to a company training manual, 'Never operate ground service equipment that is not functioning properly or in need of repair. Immediately report any vehicle in this condition to a supervisor so that corrective action can be taken.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.