Embraer EMB-120ER incident near Salt Lake City, Utah, February 21, 2009
On February 21, 2009 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-120ER, registered N270YV, suffered minor damage in an incident during taxi near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Int. Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to maintain clearance from the stationary vehicle while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2009 · about 6:12 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Int. Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120ER · all EMB-120ERs on the register
- Registration
- N270YV · not in the FAA's current or past register files · serial 120.270
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing on the ramp to their assigned terminal gate, the flight crew observed a stationary fuel truck parked to the right of their position. In order to ensure clearance, the captain positioned the airplane left of the taxiway centerline by 4 feet while the first officer monitored the clearance between the right wingtip and fuel truck. Subsequently, the right wing struck the fuel truck. The first officer stated that due to sun glare on the wing and fuel truck, he had a hard time judging the clearance between the wingtip and fuel truck. The wingtip damage was evaluated as minor.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Flight crew
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Awareness of condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,711 hours in all; 2,547 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 917 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,891 hours in all; 343 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 11, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,851 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 17, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 26,433 lb
- Seats: 30
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW118; 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: EKO Elko NV at 4:51 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from SLC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 3, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Captain | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - First Officer | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Embraer EMB-120 41 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Embraer 661 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W Canada PW118 37 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P&W Canada PW118 37 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Salt Lake City International · nearest airport
- Elko Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Utah 1,440 since 1982 · 263 in the last ten years
- Utah 8,354 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR09IA123.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.