Embraer EMB-120 RT accident near Los Angeles, California, July 18, 1995
On July 18, 1995 at about 4:55 am local time, a Embraer EMB-120 RT, registered N268UE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the captain's decision to taxi across a non-movement aircraft parking area instead of using the designated taxi lane to exit the ramp. A factor in the accident was the dark night environmental lighting conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1995 · about 4:55 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120 RT · all EMB-120 RTs on the register
- Registration
- N268UE · no longer on the register · serial 120-207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UNITED EXPRESS UTILIZES A PORTION OF A UNITED AIRLINES MAINTENANCE RAMP AS A COMMUTER TERMINAL. AFTER LOADING PASSENGERS FOR A SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED BOEING 767-222 WHILE TAXIING ON THE MAINTENANCE RAMP TOWARD A TAXIWAY WHICH GOES TO THE ASSIGNED DEPARTURE RUNWAY. UNITED HAD ESTABLISHED A TAXI LANE IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA WITH A YELLOW GUIDANCE LINE WHICH PROVIDES CLEARANCE FROM ALL PARKED AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAIN OF THE EMBRAER STATED THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE DEPARTURE DELAY SHE ELECTED NOT TO USE THE DESIGNATED TAXI LANE, BUT RATHER GO DIRECTLY ACROSS A NON-MOVEMENT AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA TO THE ACTIVE TAXIWAY. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FOR THE EMBRAER ALONG THE CAPTAIN'S PLANNED TAXI ROUTE AND THE VERTICAL STABLIZER STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE PARKED BOEING 767.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,087 hours in all; 3,866 in this make and model; 264 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days; 11,587 as pilot in command; 599 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,114 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 10, 1995; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 34
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Air Commuter Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: LAX
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.