Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
EMBRAER EMB-135 — Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2009-05-21
NTSB number
WPR09LA255
Operator
American Eagle Airlines Inc
Registration
N843AE
Highest injury
No 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
Following push back from the gate, as the captain was taxiing the airplane from the ramp to the runway, the left horizontal stabilizer struck the right horizontal stabilizer of a parked company airplane at an adjacent gate, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes' flight control surfaces. According to the flight crew statements and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, the parked airplane had been improperly parked with the right wing tip and horizontal stabilizer well outside the safety lines.
The flight crew's failure to adequately monitor and maintain clearance from a parked aircraft while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was an improperly parked airplane that encroached upon the taxiway area.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
— 481 samples, 11 parameters, 26:28:27.0 to 26:36:27.0.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Vertical acceleration g
1.0
26:28:58.0
1.0
26:32:35.0
1.0
26:36:26.0
Engine 1 N1 %
41.9
26:33:56.0
0.0
26:28:27.0
0.0
26:36:26.0
Engine 2 N1 %
0.0
26:28:27.0
0.0
26:28:27.0
0.0
26:36:26.0
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
approximately 3 minutes 30 seconds after FDR began recording
The airplane began to move
3
approximately 1 minute after airplane began to move
Movement was halted
3
following halt
Engine 1 was then powered up to 25% N1
3
after Engine 1 power up
The N1 of Engine 1 increased and the plane began to move again
3
approximately 15 seconds after resuming movement
Airplane came to an abrupt halt; airplane was turning to the right during this movement
3
approximately 1 minute 15 seconds after airplane halted
Engine 1 was shut down
3
during recording
The pilot's brake pedals were being manipulated, whereas the copilot's brake pedals were not
3
Extracted by claude-sonnet-5; 1 of 7 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.