Embraer EMB-120ER incident near Los Angeles, California, February 16, 2010
On February 16, 2010 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-120ER, registered N226SW, suffered minor damage in an incident during taxi (from runway) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 31 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 jet bridge during taxi. Contributing to the incident was the ramp marshaller's diverted attention and failure to signal the flight crew to stop at the correct position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2010 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 31 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120ER · all EMB-120ERs on the register
- Registration
- N226SW · registry record · serial 120.296
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the completion of a scheduled passenger flight, the airplane was taxied to the arrival gate at which point the flight crew was marshaled into the gate by a ground marshaller. The captain reported that as he taxied into the gate area at a normal speed, he observed the lead-in line, a parked fuel truck on the right side, the jet bridge on the left side, and the marshaller. He felt confident the airplane could proceed to the gate and clear all of the obstacles. As he continued to taxi, he anticipated the marshaller shortly giving the stop signal and chose to maintain visual attention on the marshaller. Just as the marshaller raised his hands to perform the stop signal, the left propeller struck the jet bridge. The first officer reported that he was looking out the right side of the airplane to make sure everything was clear of the wing and propeller. He reported that he never saw the jet bridge on the left side. He turned his attention back to the marshaller and saw his arms moving up indicating they were close to stopping. Before the marshaller crossed his day wands to indicate the stop location, the first officer felt something hit the airplane. The marshaller reported that he was concentrating on the airplane’s right side where a fuel truck was parked close to the envelope line and was concerned about the truck’s proximity to the airplane. Because of where his attention was focused, he misjudged the stop line marked for EMB airplanes and instead signaled the airplane to stop on the line marked for CRJ airplanes. Just as he crossed his wands, the left engine propeller struck the jet bridge. Postaccident examination of the airplane and surrounding parking area revealed that the airplane’s nosewheel tire came to rest about 18 feet beyond the stop line marked “EMB,” at a line marked “RJ50.” A reenactment of the incident, accomplished by towing an airplane on the taxi line toward the RJ50 stop line, determined that the flight crew had a clear view of the surroundings associated with the gate, including the jet bridge, when both occupants turned to look out the left cockpit window. In addition, it was also determined that the captain would be able to see part of the left engine and propeller as the airplane approached the jet bridge just prior to the RJ50 stop line.
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 (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Flight crew
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,970 hours in all; 7,474 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with 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: 2,825 hours in all; 1,550 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,205 as pilot in command; 885 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 16, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33,284 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 13, 2010
- Seats: 32
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 1:54 pm
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25R, 12,091 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 28 |
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 WPR10IA135.