Embraer EMB-135 accident near Los Angeles, California, May 21, 2009
On May 21, 2009 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-135, registered N843AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Int'L Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 47 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 adequately monitor and maintain clearance from a parked aircraft while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was an improperly parked airplane that encroached upon the taxiway area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2009 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Int'L Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 47 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-135 KL · all EMB-135s on the register
- Registration
- N843AE · no longer on the register · serial 145680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following push back from the gate, as the captain was taxiing the airplane from the ramp to the runway, the left horizontal stabilizer struck the right horizontal stabilizer of a parked company airplane at an adjacent gate, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes' flight control surfaces. According to the flight crew statements and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, the parked airplane had been improperly parked with the right wing tip and horizontal stabilizer well outside the safety lines.
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 (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Flight crew
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Parking/securing › Parking/storage › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 8,600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,823 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,852 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Seats: 47
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: American Eagle Airlines Inc
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 11:20 pm
- Destination: SAN San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 44 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR09LA255.