History of Flight
On September 12, 2017, about 2045 mountain daylight time, an Embraer EMB 120ER, registration N121CZ, was standing on the ramp at Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY), near Greeley, Colorado, when a bus struck it. The airplane was operated by Freight Runners Express, Inc. under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as a non-scheduled domestic passenger flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an unactivated instrument flight rules flight plan was on file. The flight was scheduled to depart GXY for University-Oxford Airport, Mississippi.
The airplane was waiting for passengers. About 2040, an employee of a fixed base operator (FBO) opened the gate and instructed the bus driver to drop passengers next to the airplane. The driver noted the area was dark with no lighting and drove onto the ramp. The employee then returned to attend another aircraft. The driver turned right around the back of the airplane, stating he did not see the wing until completing the turn and could not stop in time. He reported no light on the back of the wing. Ramp video showed the airplane with illuminated position lights and T-tail lights; the bus had headlights on.
Personnel
The captain, 28, held an FAA airline transport pilot certificate with multiengine land and type ratings in the Beechcraft 1900 and EMB-120. He had 3,365.5 total flight hours, including 755.7 hours as pilot-in-command in the EMB-120. The first officer, 23, held a commercial pilot certificate with multiengine and instrument ratings, and had 1,153.1 total hours, including 61.6 hours in the EMB-120. Both held first-class medical certificates without restrictions.
The bus driver, 48, possessed a Colorado Class B commercial driver's license with passenger endorsement. He had been employed since April 2014, completed initial training, and participated in ongoing training. His medical certificate was current, with 20/20 vision. He was 5 ft 4 in tall; his seated forward vision level was about 7 ft above ground. His 72-hour activity history showed no irregularities.
Aircraft Information
N121CZ was an Embraer EMB 120ER, a 34-seat, low-wing, T-tail airplane with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW118 turboprop engines and Hamilton Standard 4-bladed propellers. It was maintained under an approved continuous inspection program. Wingspan was 64.9 ft; aileron span 10.83 ft. Wing height above ground varied from about 7.2 to 7.7 ft. The airplane had position lights for night flight and lights illuminating the vertical tail.
Meteorological Information
At 1956, the weather at GXY was: wind 220° at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 24°C, dew point 10°C, altimeter 29.97 inHg. Civil twilight ended at 1940; moonrise was at 2343, indicating dark conditions at the time.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The left aileron and aileron tab were damaged beyond repair, confirmed by images. The bus exhibited linear witness marks on the right-side mirror and windshield at approximately 7 ft above ground level.
Additional Information
The bus was a 2015 MCI J-4500 motorcoach. The bus operator reported no safety defects and that the driver was not using a cell phone. The FBO subsequently stated they would offer escorts for vehicles. The bus operator planned to require a ground guide for plane-side drop-offs.
Medical and Pathological Information
The airplane operator did not perform post-accident drug or alcohol testing on the flight crew, deeming their performance not contributory. The bus driver tested negative for substances on September 13, 2017.