On May 12, 2006, an Embraer EMB-145-LR (registration N275SK) operated by Chautauqua Airlines Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Boston, MA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The tug driver's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a parked airplane. A factor was the fog. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Aircraft registered N275SK. Photo: redlegsfan21 from Vandalia, OH, United States / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A ground tug collided with the left wing of a parked airplane while visibility was reduced to one-quarter mile in fog, causing damage during luggage transport operations.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was stationary at the gate, awaiting pushback clearance. The engines were shut down and the airplane remained parked throughout the event. A ground tug driver, who was transporting luggage to a different aircraft in the vicinity, failed to observe the accident airplane until physical contact was made. The collision resulted in impact damage to the left wing of the stationary aircraft.
Findings
Environmental conditions played a significant role in the sequence of events. At the time of the accident, reported visibility at the airport was approximately one-quarter mile due to foggy conditions. These reduced visibility factors likely contributed to the tug driver's failure to see the parked aircraft in time to avoid the collision.
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