On September 28, 2007, a Dassault Aviation MYSTERE FALCON 900 (registration N90TH) was involved in an aviation accident near Teterboro, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The steamroller driver's improper decision to operate the vehicle without a wing walker present. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft registered N90TH. Photo: skinnylawyer from Los Angeles, California, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
While taxiing on taxiway Z, an aircraft experienced a sudden jolt, later found to be damage to the left main wingtip from a collision with a construction steamroller. The steamroller driver had returned from lunch and was operating without a wing walker, unaware of the aircraft.
Incident Details
While taxiing southbound on taxiway Z, the flight crew of an aircraft felt a sudden "big thud/jolt," according to the captain. Following the incident, the captain conducted an external inspection of the airplane and observed damage to the left main wingtip. The captain stated that the damage was due to a possible collision with a construction steamroller.
Driver Statement
The driver of the steamroller reported that he had returned from lunch and began operating the steamroller at the construction site without a wing walker being present. He stated that he did not see or hear the aircraft as it approached.
Damage Assessment
The inspection revealed damage to the left main wingtip. No other damage or injuries were mentioned in the source.
