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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: DCA09FA011 Aircraft Registration Number: N8698A

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008 Most Critical Injury: Minor

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident Investigated By: NTSB

Location/Time
Nearest City/Place State Zip Code Local Time Time Zone
Detroit MI 48242 0545 EST

Airport Proximity: On Airport/Airstrip Distance From Landing Facility:

Aircraft Information Summary

Aircraft Manufacturer Model/Series Type of Aircraft

BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19 Airplane

Revenue Sightseeing Flight: No Air Medical Transport Flight: No

Narrative
Brief narrative statement of facts, conditions and circumstances pertinent to the accident/incident:
On November 14, 2008, at 0545 eastern standard time, Pinnacle Airlines Inc., dba Northwest Airlink,
flight 2544, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19 (registration N8698A), equipped with CF34-3B1 engines, was
involved in a collision during taxi with a Delta Airlines tug with a small luggage cart attached.
The scheduled, domestic passenger flight, operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121,
departed Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan and landed at Detroit
Metro Wayne County Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan. The tug driver received minor injuries but
none of the 17 passengers, two pilots and 1 flight attendant were injured. The airplane was
substantially damaged. The weather observation in effect at the time of the accident was reported
to be winds at 170 and 8 knots, visibility of 4 miles in fog, and overcast clouds at 500 feet. The
temperature was reported as 9 degrees Celsius. It was dark with light rain at the time of the
accident.

According to the accident captain, on the inbound flight to DTW they landed on runway 22L. The
flight was instructed by ground control to taxi via taxiway Kilo and Quebec 3 and to hold short of
taxiway Quebec. The airplane light switches were configured with the navigation lights on,
anti-collision light on, wing inspection lights on, and taxi/recognition lights on. The flight
contacted ramp control and was cleared to taxi to gate C7 via Quebec, going from north to south.
According to the Northwest Airlines ramp controller, when he looked out he could clearly see the
airplane as it had all the "normal taxi lights on." Usually, all traffic goes from south to north
but this type of clearance is given late at night or early in the morning when ground traffic is
light.

The captain stated that he did not see any ground vehicles in close proximity to the airplane as he
prepared to turn into the gate. According to the captain, they were "moving at a crawl" toward
gate C7 when the airplane was struck on the left side. He requested crash, fire, and rescue (CFR)
personnel and began following the instructions of the fire commander.

The ramp agent's [tug driver] normal shift consisted of four 10-hour days. He was starting the
second day of the four day work week when the accident occurred. The ramp agent stated that he
arrived at work in the "B/C" concourse about 0515, had some coffee, and saw that he was scheduled
as a "baggage runner" that day. He took his radio and his lunch box to his tug, and drove to the
bag room in the "A" concourse.

There were a couple of last-minute bags that needed to be delivered to a Delta Airlines flight that
was departing at 0555 for Atlanta, Georgia. He placed the bags in the cart behind his tug and
began driving back toward the "B/C" concourse. He drove on one of the "zipper" roads that goes
between the "A" and the "B/C" concourses. It was dark and there was a "medium, steady" rain
falling. The left side of his tug was open and the right side was covered with a fabric zip-on
cover with a clear plastic panel for a window. He had his windshield wipers on. He did not see
any traffic along the way, but he could see the "C" concourse directly in front of him, and it was

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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: DCA09FA011

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Narrative (Continued)

"all lit up." As he proceeded across an intersecting taxiway, he heard airplane engines nearby,
and was surprised. He was not sure if he stepped on the brakes, but he remembered seeing a glimpse
of an airplane fuselage immediately before hearing a loud "crunch" noise. He did not see any
lights from the airplane. He said that airplanes "did not often" taxi to the south on that
taxiway; they usually went north. He had not reached the intersection for the North/South "zipper"
road when he struck the airplane.

The tug struck the plane about half way down the left wing with the tug ending up near the
wing-to-fuselage fairing. The tug was dragged approximately 25 feet before the plane stopped. The
ramp agent stated that he was ejected from the tug. His cell phone was found on the ramp
approximately 15 feet away from the tug. The front axle of the tug was damaged but other damage
was reported as cosmetic.

When the ramp agent "came to," he was lying on the tarmac. He thought he must have lost
consciousness for a short time. He saw the airplane and noticed the cabin windows. He stood there
for a few seconds trying to figure out what had happened, and then got his radio from the tug. He
called Comair operations and told them that he had had an accident, and somebody needed to come get
the bags he was carrying in the cart. He called operations again, and told them to "get a lead"
[supervisor] to come to where he was, and to notify airport rescue and fire fighting (ARFF)
personnel of the accident. Right after he made the second call, police, firefighters and other
rescue personnel began arriving. "Six or seven" Mesaba Airlines employees arrived, and one of them
found his cell phone lying on the tarmac. The ramp agent said that his cell phone had been in his
pocket at the time of the accident. Company policy does not allow him to eat, drink, smoke, or use
the telephone while he is performing his duties.
Updated on Nov 10 2009 12:54PM

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NTSB ID: DCA09FA011

National Transportation Safety Board

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Landing Facility/Approach Information

Airport Name Airport ID: Airport Elevation Runway Used Runway Length Runway Width
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou DTW 645 Ft. MSL N/A

Runway Surface Type:

Runway Surface Condition:

Approach/Arrival Flown: Unknown

VFR Approach/Landing: Unknown

Aircraft Information
Aircraft Manufacturer Model/Series Serial Number
BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19 7698

Airworthiness Certificate(s): Transport

Landing Gear Type: Tricycle

Amateur Built Acft? No Number of Seats: 55 Certified Max Gross Wt. LBS Number of Engines: 2
Engine Type: Engine Manufacturer: Model/Series: Rated Power:

- Aircraft Inspection Information

Type of Last Inspection Date of Last Inspection Time Since Last Inspection Airframe Total Time

Continuous Airworthiness 09/2008 Hours 14008 Hours

- Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Information

ELT Installed?/Type Yes / Unknown ELT Operated? No ELT Aided in Locating Accident Site? No

Owner/Operator Information
Registered Aircraft Owner Street Address
299 S MAIN ST 12TH FLOOR
WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE City State Zip Code
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111
Street Address
Operator of Aircraft 299 S MAIN ST 12TH FLOOR
City State Zip Code
WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111
Operator Does Business As: Northwest Airlink Operator Designator Code: FLG
- Type of U.S. Certificate(s) Held:
Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s): Flag Carrier/Domestic

Operating Certificate: Operator Certificate:

Regulation Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air Carrier

Type of Flight Operation Conducted: Scheduled; Domestic; Passenger Only

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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: DCA09FA011

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

First Pilot Information

Name City State Date of Birth Age

On File On File On File 44

Sex: M Seat Occupied: Left Occupational Pilot? Yes Certificate Number:

Certificate(s): Airline Transport

Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land

Rotorcraft/Glider/LTA: None

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane

Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane

Current Biennial Flight Review? 09/2008

Medical Cert.: Class 1 Medical Cert. Status: With Waivers/Limitations Date of Last Medical Exam: 07/2008

This Make Airplane Airplane Instrument Lighter

All A/C
- Flight Time Matrix and Model Single Engine Mult-Engine
Night
Actual Simulated
Rotorcraft Glider
Than Air

Total Time 5472 2022 1462 4010

Pilot In Command(PIC) 3967 2022
Instructor

Instruction Received

Last 90 Days 182

Last 30 Days 72
Last 24 Hours 7
Seatbelt Used? Yes Shoulder Harness Used? Yes Toxicology Performed? No Second Pilot? Yes

Flight Plan/Itinerary
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point State Airport Identifier Departure Time Time Zone

Grand Rapids MI GRR 0453 EST

Destination State Airport Identifier

Same as Accident/Incident Location DTW

Type of Clearance: IFR

Type of Airspace:

Weather Information
Source of Wx Information:

National Weather Service

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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: DCA09FA011

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Weather Information
WOF ID Observation Time Time Zone WOF Elevation WOF Distance From Accident Site Direction From Accident Site

DTW 0853 CST Ft. MSL 0 NM Deg. Mag.

Sky/Lowest Cloud Condition: Ft. AGL Condition of Light: Night

Lowest Ceiling: Overcast 500 Ft. AGL Visibility: 4 SM Altimeter: 29.81 "Hg

Temperature: 9 °C Dew Point: 8 °C Weather Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions

Wind Direction: 170 Wind Speed: 8 Wind Gusts:

Visibility (RVR): Ft. Visibility (RVV) SM

Precip and/or Obscuration:

Accident Information
Aircraft Damage: Substantial Aircraft Fire: None Aircraft Explosion None

- Injury Summary Matrix Fatal Serious Minor None TOTAL

First Pilot 1 1
Second Pilot 1 1
Student Pilot

Flight Instructor

Check Pilot

Flight Engineer

Cabin Attendants 1 1
Other Crew

Passengers 17 17
- TOTAL ABOARD - 20 20
Other Ground 1 1
- GRAND TOTAL - 1 20 21

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NTSB ID: DCA09FA011

National Transportation Safety Board

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 11/13/2008

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Administrative Information
Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)
Robert P. Benzon

Additional Persons Participating in This Accident/Incident Investigation:

Robert Drake
Federal Aviation Administration, AAI-100
Washington, DC

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