Douglas DC-9-30 N927VJ

Summary

On 2 September 1998 at about 22:05 local time, a Douglas DC-9-30 registered N927VJ was involved in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. 86 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 1998 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Philadelphia Intl Arpt (PHL)

Coordinates

39.9892, -75.1406

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-30

Registration

N927VJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ottawa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC98LA177

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the fuel truck driver to follow airport operating procedures, and yield the right-of-way to the airplane. Factors were the stopped airplane, which obscured the fuel truck from the approaching airplane and the approaching airplane from the fuel truck, and the lack of visual aids on the vehicle to help compensate for restricted driver visibility to the right.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The DC-9-30 cleared the runway and was taxiing into an alleyway entrance between terminal concourses, when it's left wing struck a fuel truck that was traveling on a service road. The fuel truck, traveling from left to right, came from behind a stopped airplane. The fuel truck was about 150 feet beyond the vehicle stop sign. The airplane's left main landing gear tire left skid marks 47 feet in length on the ramp. The fuel truck driver reported he had stopped at the stop sign prior to crossing the alleyway entrance. The stop sign only required a stop if aircraft were present. In addition, drivers were taught that airplanes had the right of way over vehicles. The fuel truck driver's visibility to the right was restricted by equipment on the truck and the stopped airplane. The pilot's visibility to the left was restricted by the stopped airplane. When the fuel truck appeared from behind the stopped airplane, the fuel truck driver observed the airplane, stopped, and was attempting to back out of the way when he was struck by the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.