DCA85AA026

Factual narrative

AT 2045 THE MILITARY FLT, DIXIE 06, CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM APCH & OBTAINED CLEARANCE FOR A LOW APCH FOLLOWED BY A FULL-STOP LNDG ON RWY 05. AT 2053, DIXIE 06 REPORTED A 4 MILE FINAL FOR A LOW APCH TO THE LOCAL CONTROLLER. AT 2054:19, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER CLEARED ABX 74, N19T, '...TAXI POSITION AND HOLD FIVE.' ABX 74 WAS AWAITING TAKEOFF INSTRUCTIONS ONRWY 05 WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FORGOT ABX 74. SHE BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER TRAFFIC USING RWY 36. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TERMED THE TRAFFIC AS BUSIER THAN NORMAL FOR A NIGHT OPERATION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE TOWER WAS STAFFED WITH 2 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND AN AIR TRAFFIC ASSISTANT. NO SUPERVISOR OR COORDINATOR WAS AVAILABLE IN THE CAB TO DETECT CONTROLLER OVERLOAD AND OFFER ASSISTANCE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12