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GAA18CA409

2018-07-04 · Chicago, Illinois, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ORD

Current FAA registration · N208EE

Make / Model
CESSNA 208B
Year of manufacture
2006 · 12 years old at event
Engine
P&W CANADA PT6A-114A (675 hp)
Seats / Engines
12 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20141223
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1B024

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The service truck driver’s evasive maneuver to avoid a bag cart tug, which resulted in the truck impacting a parked airplane.

Factual narrative

The manager of regulatory compliance for the operator reported that, a service truck had impacted the airplane, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. He added that the first officer was on the ground and the captain was in the terminal at the time of impact. The Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) inspector reported that the flight crew reported that the captain was on-board the airplane and the first officer was on the ground at the time of impact. The airplane was schedule to depart in one hour and they were preparing to fuel the airplane. The FAA inspector added that the service truck driver reported that he was crossing the taxiway on the zipper road and as he approached the main terminal road, a bag cart tug pulled out in front of him, causing him to swerve into the parked airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The manager reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The manager of regulatory compliance for the operator reported that a service truck had impacted the airplane, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. He added that the first officer was on the ground and that the captain was in the terminal at the time of impact. The Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) inspector reported that the flight crew reported that the captain was on-board the airplane and that the first officer was on the ground at the time of impact. The airplane was scheduled to depart in 1 hour, and they were preparing to fuel the airplane. The FAA inspector added that the service truck driver reported that he was crossing the taxiway on the zipper road, and as he approached the main terminal road, a bag cart tug pulled out in front of him, causing him to swerve into the parked airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The manager reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-(general)-Ground crew - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Ground crew - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Ground vehicle-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA18CA409.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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