Mcdonnell Douglas MD88 N977DL accident near Atlanta, Georgia

Probable cause

failure of the tug driver to give way to the taxiing airplane.

NTSB analysis

On April 4, 2019, at 2019 eastern daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 1276, a Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD88, N977DL, was substantially damaged after being struck by a baggage tug during taxi at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (ATL). The were no injuries aboard the airplane, the tug driver received minor injuries. Night visual conditions with light rain prevailed. The airplane was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Syracuse, New York to ATL.

According to the operator, the flight crew reported that the flight from SYR. The captain reported that after landing, ATC cleared the flight to enter the Ramp 2 east taxi lane and taxi to gate B14. The captain indicated that as they began to turn right into the ramp, Ramp Control instructed flight 1276 to give way to opposite direction traffic. As the captain was looking forward to identify the traffic, the first officer called out, "Stop, Stop, Stop!" The captain immediately applied full brakes. The flight crew then heard and felt an impact coming from the right side of the forward fuselage.

The pilots notified ramp control and held position. Ground support personnel arrived quickly to assist. The ground personnel told the pilot via inter-phone that a tug and baggage cart had impacted the fuselage and was against the nose gear. Ground personnel reported to the crew that the tug driver was OK but that he did not know where he was or how he got there.

The crew and passengers deplaned via the ventral stairs with no further incident.

The tug driver did not cooperate with the investigation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DCA19CA146 for the full record.