Bombardier CL 600 2B19 N261PS

Summary

On 13 September 2017 at about 19:45 local time, a Bombardier CL 600 2B19 registered N261PS, operated by PSA Airlines Inc, was involved in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. 35 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 September 2017 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Charlotte/Douglas Intl (CLT)

Coordinates

35.1300, -80.5600

Aircraft

Bombardier CL 600 2B19

Registration

N261PS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

2

Operator

PSA Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Charleston → Charlotte

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA17CA197

Injuries not recorded.

the tug operator's initiation of a right turn onto the perpendicular terminal road in proximity to the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On September 13, 2017, at 3:45 pm eastern daylight time, PSA Airlines flight 5233, a Bombardier CRJ-200, N261PS, collided with a TLD Jet-16 baggage tug operated by Piedmont Airlines while taxiing at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina.  The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and the tug canopy section was damaged.  The tug driver was seriously injured and there were no injuries to the 34 passengers and crew onboard the CRJ-200.  Weather was daytime visual meteorological conditions. After landing on runway 18R, the airplane was instructed to taxi to Gate E4.  While taxiing in a narrow alleyway near the north end of concourse E, between the concourse and the baggage transfer point, the ground tug impacted the left wingtip. The tug was driving on non-movement area of the terminal ramp. The baggage tug was slightly in front of the aircraft at about a 10 o'clock position to the captain of the aircraft. A terminal road crosses the taxi alleyway from near Gate E38 to the beginning of area designated as the baggage transfer point. The transfer point is located outside the alleyway and is lined with concrete barriers. Airplane taxi within the alleyway and ground equipment travel perpendicular to aircraft movement when accessing the transfer point. As the tug turned onto the service road and began to cross the roadway he noticed the airplane taxing in the alley. The driver indicated that, in order to avoid a collision, he tightened his right turn in the opposite direction the airplane was traveling before colliding with the left hand wing. The canopy of the baggage tug was sheared off and the leading edge and winglet of the airplane was substantially damaged. The final resting place of the tug was just behind the trailing edge of the wing. There were skid marks from the airplane tires consistent with maximum braking starting when the airplane made contact with the baggage tug. According to airline ground movement procedures, an airplane on the non-movement area always has the right of way.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.