ATL89FA020

Factual narrative

THE ACFT WAS BEING TAXIED TO THE GATE WHEN ITS RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK A CATERING TRUCK THAT HAD BEEN DRIVEN OFF OF THE DESIGNATED DRIVING LANES & PARTIALLY ONTO THE TAXIWAY. THE FLT CREW RPRTD THAT THE TRUCK WAS TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITHIN THE DESIGNATED DRIVING LANES WHEN THEY LAST OBSERVED IT. SHORTLY AFTER THE COCKPIT AREA OF THE ACFT PASSED THE TRUCK, THEY FELT AN IMPACT. WITNESSES RPRTD THE TRUCK LEFT THE DRIVING LANES AS THE DRIVER WAS MANEUVERING AROUND OTHER GROUND VEHICLES THAT WERE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVING LANES. FAA & ARPT RULES REQUIRED THAT VEHICLES DRIVERS OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE TOWER BEFORE CROSSING OR OPERATING ON RUNWAYS OR TAXIWAYS. ALSO, ARPT RULES STATED THAT VEHICLE DRIVERS SHALL YIELD TO TAXIING ACFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12