Airbus Industrie A-320-211 accident near St Paul, Minnesota, June 3, 1995
On June 3, 1995 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Airbus Industrie A-320-211, registered N326US, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Paul, Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 115 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the captain's not maintaining crew/group coordination. Factors were the captain's diverted attention and his not maintaining visual separation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1995 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- St Paul, Minnesota · Minneapolis/St. Paul · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 115 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A-320-211 A320-211 · all A-320-211s on the register
- Registration
- N326US · no longer on the register · serial 282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED A PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE BY A TUG. THE CAPTAIN MADE ONE COMMUNICATION WITH THE TUG ATTENDANT AND THEN BECAME INVOLVED IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE FIRST OFFICER REGARDING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN HE LOOKED OUT FOR A WINGWALKER HE SAW NO ONE AND ASSUMED THAT THE TUG HAD DEPARTED AND THE PERVIOUS COMMUNICATION WAS CONFIRMATION OF THAT. WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP THE AIRPLANE REALIZING THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD TAXIED INTO THE TUG.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,125 hours in all; 2,383 in this make and model; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,164 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 2, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 166,400 lb
- Seats: 159
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm CFM56-5-A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MSP
- Destination: SNA Orange County CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MSP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 108 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.