Embraer EMB 120ER N121CZ

Summary

On 13 September 2017 at about 02:45 local time, a Embraer EMB 120ER registered N121CZ, operated by Freight Runners Express Inc, was involved in an accident near Greeley, Colorado, United States. 3 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

13 September 2017 at 02:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Greeley, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Greeley-Weld County (GXY)

Coordinates

40.4375, -104.6333

Aircraft

Embraer EMB 120ER

Registration

N121CZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1999

Engines

2

Operator

Freight Runners Express Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greeley → Oxford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN17LA350

Nobody was injured.

The bus driver's failure to maintain clearance from the standing airplane during dark night conditions. Contributing to the accident was the airport's lack of an escort for the bus.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, which was operating as a nonscheduled domestic passenger flight, was standing on a ramp during dark night conditions waiting for the flight's passengers to arrive by bus; the flight crew was onboard the airplane. The only airport employee on duty opened the gate, told the bus driver to drop the passengers next to the airplane, and then returned to previous duties. The bus driver reported that there was no lighting on the ramp when he drove the bus onto it. He added that he made a right turn around the back of the airplane and "didn't see the wing." At that point, he was unable to stop the bus before it hit the wing. Although the bus driver reported that there was no light on the back of the wing, a video of the ramp area showed that the vertical portion of the T-tail was illuminated and that the airplane position lights were illuminated. The bus driver possessed current commercial passenger-carrying vehicle operational and medical certifications. The driver did not have vision problems. The driver stated that he was not using his cell phone at the time of the crash. A review of the driver's 72-hour activity history did not reveal any irregularities. The driver's postaccident toxicological testing results were negative for the tests performed. Given these facts, it is likely that the unescorted driver failed to maintain clearance from the airplane during the planeside delivery of passengers in dark night conditions. The lack of an airport employee to escort the bus to the side of the airplane likely contributed to the accident. After the accident, the operator stated that it would make a policy that drivers be guided to airplanes by a ground guide. If a ground guide was not available, the drivers would not be permitted to drop passengers planeside.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.