Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19 — Detroit, MI, USA, 2008-11-13
NTSB number
DCA09FA011
Operator
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc
Registration
N8698A
Highest injury
Minor injury
Regulation
Part 121
Damage
Substantial
Cohort
Part 121 airline
Recorder data
Tier 1 — decoded recorder tables
Every sentence below is taken directly from NTSB records — the accident database, the docket's recorder reports and the Board's findings — with its source noted. Nothing is paraphrased or inferred.
NTSB summary
On November 14, 2008, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19 was involved in a collision during taxi with a ground tug with a small luggage cart attached. The tug driver received minor injuries but none of the 17 passengers, two pilots and 1 flight attendant were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The weather at the time included a visibility of 4 miles in fog. It was dark with light rain at the time of the accident.
The ramp agent driving the tug stated that the left side curtain of his tug was open and the right side was covered with a fabric zip-on cover with a clear plastic panel for a window. He had his windshield wipers on. He did not see any aircraft prior to the collision. As he proceeded across an intersecting taxiway, he heard airplane engines nearby, and was surprised. He remembered seeing a glimpse of an airplane fuselage immediately before hearing a loud "crunch" noise prior to impacting the airplane.
The lack of vigilance on the part of the ramp agent driving the baggage tug. Contributing factors include the night conditions, and low visibility due to fog and rain.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
— 1,687 samples, 18 parameters, SRN 429,940 to SRN 430,011.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Vertical acceleration g
1.1
SRN 429,989
0.7
SRN 429,989
1.0
SRN 430,011
Engine 1 N1 %RPM
25.6
SRN 429,940
25.3
SRN 429,989
25.5
SRN 430,010
Engine 2 N1 %RPM
25.2
SRN 429,943
25.0
SRN 429,968
25.1
SRN 430,011
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
about 70 seconds after landing
Start of the plot; aircraft moving on the ground at less than five knots
3
onset of event
Jostling consistent with the aircraft striking the ground tug; maximum acceleration less than 0.4 g; the event lasted approximately four seconds; brakes applied just before, during and after
3
about 8 seconds after onset
Aircraft came to a halt
3
Extracted by claude-fable-5-1 (in-session); 3 of 3 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.