Amateur-built DHC-8-311 accident near Washington, District of Columbia, August 1, 1994
On August 1, 1994 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-8-311, registered N433AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, District of Columbia (Washington-Dulles airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE VEHICLE OPERATOR'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE BAGGAGE TRACTOR RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF A SECOND BAGGAGE TRACTOR BEING PUSHED AND ITS SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1994 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · Washington-Dulles
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-8-311
- Registration
- N433AW · registry record · serial 305
- 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 COMMUTER AIRPLANE WAS PARKED AT THE GATE WITH 50 SEATED PASSENGERS, AND A CREW OF THREE. THE ENGINES WERE STOPPED, THE CHOCKS WERE IN PLACE, THE PILOTS WERE SEATED IN THE COCKPIT COMPLETING PAPER WORK, AND THE AIRSTAIR DOOR WAS OPEN. A BAGGAGE TRACTOR (DH4) HAD BROKEN DOWN, AND THE OPERATOR ASKED ANOTHER BAGGAGE TRACTOR OPERATOR (DH65), TO PUSH HIM TO THE END OF THE RAMP TO AWAIT SERVICE. DH65 BEGAN PUSHING DH4, WHICH STEERED TO PASS 15 TO 20 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE AIRPLANE. AS DH4 ENTERED THE SERVICE ROAD, IT BEGAN TO TURN RIGHT TO HEAD WEST. AT THIS POINT, DH65 HAD NOT YET ENTERED THE SERVICE ROAD AND CONTINUED SOUTHWESTERLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEW FEET. AT THIS TIME, THE LEFT SIDE OF DH65'S FRONT HITCH, CONTACTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF DH4'S REAR HITCH. THE HITCH CONTACT JERKED THE FRONT OF DH65 TO THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO BE PITCHED HALFWAY OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF DH65. AS THE DRIVER FELL, HIS HAND PULLED DOWN ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIS FOOT PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DH65 THEN VEERED INTO THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,283 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 18, 1994; 122 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 41,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-123 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlantic Coast Airlines
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 50 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N433AW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.