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DCA21LA226

2021-09-17 · Asheville, North Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport AVL

Current FAA registration · N444ZW

Make / Model
BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19
Year of manufacture
2003 · 18 years old at event
Engine
GE CF34 SERIES
Seats / Engines
55 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
20030425
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A55BCD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The fuel truck driver backing up in the direction of the airplane without the use of marshallers.

Factual narrative

According to the flight crew, after pushback they received instructions from the ground controller to hold their position due to a 30-minute delay before takeoff. While they were holding, a fuel truck began backing up in their direction without the assistance of marshallers. The captain attempted to get the drivers attention by flashing the airplane’s landing lights. However, the fuel truck driver continued backing up and struck the airplane resulting in substantial damage to an area under the first officer’s window. The captain immediately shut down the right engine and made a public address announcement for the passengers to remain seated. Post-accident inspection revealed a hole in the forward fuselage of the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Ground crew

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_DCA21LA226.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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