Airbus A-320-231 N302ML

Summary

On 8 August 1998 at about 20:55 local time, a Airbus A-320-231 registered N302ML, operated by Prime Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Denver, Colorado, United States. 181 people were on board. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 August 1998 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Denver, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Denver International (DEN)

Coordinates

39.7896, -104.8408

Aircraft

Airbus A-320-231

Registration

N302ML

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Prime Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Cancun

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA351

Injuries not recorded.

The failure of the flight crew to comply with braking instructions after being instructed by ground personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was pushed back from the gate and the crew set the parking brake. They notified the ground crew that they were cleared to disconnect the tug from the aircraft. The flight crew received a clearance by Ramp Control and began to taxi. The nose wheel of the aircraft then ran over one of the ground crewman's legs. According to the injured crewman, the tow bar connection to the aircraft was jammed. He disconnected the tow bar from the tug, and went to release the tow bar from the airplane's nose. He noticed the aircraft start to move, then roll over his legs. According to him, at no time following his braking instructions to the flight crew did he give them a clearance signal to initiate taxi. According to cockpit voice transcripts, a crew member replied, 'I apologize, I thought we were clear' after being told of the accident. The tow bar was still attached to the aircraft and the tug was still directly in front of the aircraft immediately following the accident. Neither the airline nor the ramp contractor's pushback procedures provide instructions for communications should there be a problem with the tow bar disconnect process. This was a contract operation with a weekly frequency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.