Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2D24 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, May 1, 2006
On May 1, 2006 at about 6:01 am local time, a Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2D24, registered N909FJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mc Carran International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 89 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of ground service personnel to properly set the parking brake on the lead baggage cart.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2006 · about 6:01 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mc Carran International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 89 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2D24
- Registration
- N909FJ · no longer on the register · serial 15009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airliner was struck by a loose string of baggage carts while taxiing for departure. The airplane was traveling down a taxiway toward the active runway, and upon reaching an intersection, the captain noticed a loose string of baggage carts moving rapidly toward the airplane in an angled path from left to right. He swerved the airplane to the right of the centerline in an effort to avoid collision with the baggage carts. The lead rolling baggage cart struck the airplane's left wing, and the airplane traveled about 150 feet further down the taxiway before coming to a complete stop. The lead baggage cart came to rest wedged between the wing and taxiway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The string of carts came from the direction of the concourse D gates 10 through 14. The baggage carts were equipped with a manual towbar actuated front two-wheel brake system. The parking brake is designed to activate by the operator raising the towbar to the vertical position. To release the parking brake, the brake/towbar-latch is pushed down by foot while the top of the tow bar is pushed inward toward the cart until the brake/towbar-latch is unhooked. Northwest Airlines, the owner of runaway carts, issued an employee memorandum after the accident reiterating the importance of ensuring that the braking system is engaged when leaving carts unattended.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,700 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 82,500 lb
- Seats: 89
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF348c5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF348c5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesa Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: DFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 am from LAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 85 |
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.