Gulfstream GIV N905LP accident near New York, New York

Probable cause

The flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate wing tip clearance from a light pole during taxi.

NTSB analysis

According to the first officer, the airplane was being directed to the parking area by a marshaler, who was positioned in front and to the left of the airplane. The first officer looked out his window to observe the right wing's clearance from a blast fence, but could not see the wing tip due to the sun's position behind the airplane. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the captain stated that he knew the wing was close to the fence, but the marshaler was signaling to continue. The airplane's right wing tip then impacted a light pole inside the blast fence, resulting in substantial damage. The captain stated that prior to impact, the marshaler never signaled for the flight crew to stop. The marshaler stated to the FAA inspector that she attempted to signal the captain to stop, but his head was turned to the right. The FAA inspector also reported that the first officer never advised the captain to stop the airplane or use caution.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA382 for the full record.