Airbus Industrie A330-223 and Bombardier, Inc. DHC-8-202 accident near Portland, Oregon, August 29, 2005
On August 29, 2005 at about 9:09 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Airbus Industrie A330-223 (N855NW) and Bombardier, Inc. DHC-8-202 (N363PH), were involved in the same accident near Portland, Oregon (Portland International airport). No one was hurt; 270 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the flight crew to maintain adequate clearance while taxiing.
The failure of the flightcrew of the other airplane to maintain clearance while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2005 · about 9:09 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon · Portland International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 270 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Airbus Industrie A330-223 · all A330-223s on the register
- Registration
- N855NW · registry record · serial 0621
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Bombardier, Inc. DHC-8-202
- Registration
- N363PH · registry record · serial 520
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus Industrie A330-223 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Airbus was taxiing east via Taxiway B to runway 28L for departure. The Bombardier had landed, taxied to the gate area, and was stopped on the ramp located north of Taxiway B waiting to be marshaled to its parking spot. The Bombardier was sitting on a northerly heading, oriented perpendicular to Taxiway B with its tail towards the taxiway. The captain and augmenting captain of the Airbus visually checked for clearance between their left wingtip and the tail of the Bombardier and decided that there was adequate clearance. However, as the Airbus passed behind the Bombardier, the left wingtip of the Airbus struck the tail of the Bombardier. The left winglet of the Airbus was scraped, bent and cracked. The vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, both elevators, and the rudder of the Bombardier sustained structural damage.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bombardier, Inc. DHC-8-202 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Airbus was taxiing east via Taxiway B to runway 28L for departure. The Bombardier had landed, taxied to the gate area, and was stopped on the ramp located north of Taxiway B waiting to be marshaled to its parking spot. The Bombardier was sitting on a northerly heading, oriented perpendicular to Taxiway B with its tail towards the taxiway. The captain and augmenting captain of the Airbus visually checked for clearance between their left wingtip and the tail of the Bombardier and decided that there was adequate clearance. However, as the Airbus passed behind the Bombardier, the left wingtip of the Airbus struck the tail of the Bombardier. The left winglet of the Airbus was scraped, bent and cracked. The vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, both elevators, and the rudder of the Bombardier sustained structural damage.
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 for the Airbus Industrie A330-223 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,125 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, August 1, 2005; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 513,000 lb
- Seats: 259
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW-4168A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW-4168A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR
- Destination: NRT Narita
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from PDX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 235 |
The factual record for the Bombardier, Inc. DHC-8-202 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
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: 6,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 156 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,229 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 1, 2005; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,500 lb
- Seats: 40
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW-1230 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW-1230 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR at 8:05 pm
- Destination: PDX Portland OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 20 |
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 N855NW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
2016-10-26ENG17IA003 · incident near Seattle, WA · no injuries
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.