Ground fire of a Short 360-100 in Houston

Date & Time: May 17, 2012 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N617FB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Houston – Austin
MSN:
3617
YOM:
1983
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5348
Captain / Total hours on type:
2305.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
832
Copilot / Total hours on type:
171
Aircraft flight hours:
27504
Circumstances:
The pilots reported that the cargo airplane was about 60 pounds over its maximum takeoff weight. Because their taxi to the assigned runway was long, they decided to reduce weight by using higher-than-normal engine power settings to burn fuel before takeoff while using the wheel brakes to control the airplane’s speed while taxiing. During the taxi, a fire ignited in the right wheel housing. The pilots brought the airplane to a stop on the taxiway, evacuated, and attempted to extinguish the fire with two handheld fire extinguishers. Airport firefighting personnel arrived on scene and extinguished the fire using foam suppressant. Although the fire damage was extensive, postaccident examination of the airplane did not show evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures with the wheel and brake system that could have caused the fire. The right and left main landing gear tires deflated when the fusible plugs in the wheels blew due to overheating. The fusible plugs are designed to “fail” if the wheels overheat, and those plugs functioned as designed. The pilots stated that they had been trained to not ride the brakes while taxiing. However, the captain stated that he did not realize that he was in danger of blowing the tires much less causing a fire, otherwise he would not have attempted to bum off excess fuel while taxiing.
Probable cause:
The pilots’ improper decision to burn fuel during the taxi by operating the engines at a higher-than-normal power setting and using the wheel brakes to control taxi speed, which resulted in a wheel fire.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Douglas C-54G Skymaster in San Juan

Date & Time: Mar 22, 2012 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N406WA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Christiansted – San Juan
MSN:
35944
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful cargo flight from Christiansted-Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, the crew completed the landing normally at San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin Airport. While taxiing to the ramp, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
No investigations were conducted by the NTSB.

Ground accident of a Dassault Falcon 20F in Newnan

Date & Time: Oct 3, 2011
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XA-NCC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
264
YOM:
1972
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A technician was in charge to ferry the airplane to a hangar for a maintenance control. While taxiing, the Falcon went out of control, rolled down an embankment and collided with a utility pole. The nose was severely damaged and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. According to the technician, who escaped uninjured, the brakes failed while taxiing.
Probable cause:
No investigation was conducted by the NTSB.

Ground collision of an ATR72-202 in Warsaw

Date & Time: Jul 14, 2011 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LFH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wrocław – Warsaw
MSN:
478
YOM:
1995
Flight number:
ELO3850
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On 14 July, 2011 ATR 72 flight crew after landing at EPWA aerodrome received the clearance for taxiing to parking stand 41 via taxiways: "S", "O" and "M". When the airplane was on taxiway "M2", "Mulag" type tractor was moving by the service road, passing perpendicularly to taxiway “M2”. The tractor driver did not give the right of way to ATR 72 and the tractor collided with the airplane. As a result, the airplane and the tractor sustained substantial damages. The flight crew stopped the airplane and shut down the engines. Airport Fire Brigade and an ambulance were called. The tractor operator suffered some injuries and was taken to hospital. the airplane passengers and the flight crew did not suffer any injuries. The impact caused a fuel leakage from the airplane of 200 m2 in area, which was removed along with other elements of the damaged aircraft by the Airport Fire Brigade. The airplane and the "Mulag" tractor were withdrawn from the further service. During the accident there were adverse weather conditions at the airport - heavy rain and lightning which caused reduction in visibility.
Probable cause:
Inadequate observation of the Ground Movement Area by the “Mulag” tractor operator.
Contributing factors:
1. Heavy rain and lightning.
2. Light reflections on the aerodrome surface which hindered observation from the tractor cab.
3. Construction of the "Mulag” tractor cab, left side of which could partially or completely obscure silhouette of the airplane.
4. Short distance between a service road and taxiway "O2".
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Convair CV-580F in Seattle

Date & Time: Mar 20, 2011 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GNRL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seattle - Calgary
MSN:
375
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
NRL920
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was preparing the aircraft to perform a cargo flight to Calgary (flight NRL920). While taxiing, the aircraft went out of control, collided with a parked Ameriflight Piper PA-31 before coming to rest against a metallic fence. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The NTSB confirmed that no investigation have been conducted about this incident. Thus, the cause remains unknown.

Ground accident of a Gulfstream GIV in Papeete

Date & Time: Jan 30, 2011 at 1725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N127DK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1127
YOM:
1990
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Papeete-Faaa Airport, the aircraft went out of control and collided with various ground handling equipment such as a catering truck, a belt loader and cargo containers. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Ground accident of a Boeing 737-2T5 at Hoedspruit AFB

Date & Time: Jan 10, 2011 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-SGX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hoedspruit - Johannesburg
MSN:
22396/730
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
26512
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1300
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1100
Aircraft flight hours:
70094
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flown on a non-scheduled charter flight from O. R. Tambo International Airport to Hoedspruit military aerodrome, where it landed safely and all 97 passengers disembarked. The crew then prepared to return to O. R. Tambo International Airport with no passengers on board. Whilst taxiing to the cleared holding point for takeoff, the pilot switched off the landing lights to avoid blinding an approaching aircraft. As a result, he overshot the turning point in the darkness and found himself at the end of the taxiway with insufficient space to turn around. According to him, he decided to manoeuvre the aircraft out of the "dead end" by turning into the last taxiway, which led to military hangars, and then reversing the aircraft to carry out a 180° turn. This was to be done without external guidance. Whilst reversing the aircraft, the pilot failed to stop it in time, the main wheels rolled off the edge of the taxiway and the aircraft slipped down a steep embankment, coming to rest with the nose-wheel still on the taxiway. The aeroplane was substantially damaged, but no-one was injured.
Probable cause:
Inappropriate decision by the captain to reverse the aircraft at night without external guidance.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Boeing 727-222F in São Paulo

Date & Time: Dec 1, 2009 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PR-MTK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brasília – São Paulo
MSN:
20037/701
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful night cargo flight from Brasília, the aircraft landed at São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport. While taxiing, the aircraft hit airport equipment while approaching its stand. The aircraft was severely damaged on its nose and cockpit area. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The encountered brakes problems.

Crash of a Canadair RegionalJet CRJ-100ER in Kigali: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 2009 at 1315 LT
Operator:
Registration:
5Y-JLD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kigali - Entebbe
MSN:
7197
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
WB205
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
11478
Captain / Total hours on type:
1110.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1558
Copilot / Total hours on type:
533
Aircraft flight hours:
17140
Aircraft flight cycles:
17025
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, when the Copilot pulled back the thrust levers of both engines to the desired positions, the thrust lever on left engine could not move and the engine remained in full power. The Pilot in Command (PIC) then informed Air Traffic Controller (ATC) that the aircraft had a technical problem and requested to return to the airport. The crew managed to land safely with the Copilot and accompanying company maintenance engineer struggling to control the left engine which was on high power setting and the PIC controlling the aircraft using only the right hand engine. The aircraft taxied to parking bay number 4 with the left engine still in full power. The captain applied the parking brake and the aircraft stopped for a while and before putting on the chocks, the aircraft started moving forward at a high speed through the jet blast fence and crashed into Control Tower building. A passenger was killed, six people were injured, three seriously.
Probable cause:
The flight crew’s failure to identify corrective action and their lack of knowledge of applicable airplane and engine systems in response to a jammed thrust lever, which resulted in the number 1 engine operating at high power and the airplane configured in an unsafe condition that led to the need to apply heavy braking during landing. Also causal was the flightcrew failure to recognize the safety hazard that existed from overheated brakes and the potential consequence on the braking action needed to park the airplane. Contributing factors included the possible failure by maintenance crew to correctly stow the upper core cowl support strut after maintenance, Flight crew’s failure to follow standard operating procedures, the company’s failure to be availed to manufacturer safety literature on the subject, and the susceptibility of the cowl core support shaft to interfere with the throttle control mechanism when the core strut is not in its stowed position.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Learjet 40 in Fort Worth

Date & Time: Jun 18, 2009
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N998AL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
45-2029
YOM:
2005
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Learjet 40 was being operated by two A&P mechanics for the purpose to taxi out for an engine test run on the n°1 engine. During taxi it was necessary to stop the aircraft for motor vehicle traffic. The mechanic advanced the throttles for taxi and to climb a 15 to 20 foot hill. When the mechanic attempted to reduce the throttles only the n° 2 engine could be retarded. The n°1 engine was at a high power setting and could not be reduced. The aircraft left 4 skid marks as the main tires were locked for approximately the length of a little more than a football field. The mechanics could not shut down the n°1 engine. Control of the aircraft was lost with the n°1 engine at a high power setting. The right wing impacted the corner of a hanger. The nose gear broke and an embankment stopped the aircraft. The mechanics were then able to shut down both engines and exited the aircraft with no injuries.
Probable cause:
The NTSB did not proceed to any investigation on this event.