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B737-500 has close encounter with catering truck the driver of which appeared to be using a cell phone.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 723591 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200701 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 723591 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : ground |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Cleared runway 9R post landing. Told by ground control to hold short of taxiway D for MD80. While waiting for MD80 allowed a couple of vehicles to cross in front of us on roadway (clear hand signals from both the pilot and the driver to verify meanings). MD80 near M-6 so we started taxiing to follow. Had to slam on brakes as a catering truck crossed directly in front of us! No signal from me for him to cross and besides he wasn't even looking at us; sitting there talking on his cell phone looking straight ahead. The miss distance was close enough that I felt I could read the number on his phone! My estimation is less than 30 ft! (The catering truck disappeared almost completely as it passed under the nose.) these ground crews must pay attention! This could've been an awful way to end the day.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-500 HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH CATERING TRUCK THE DRIVER OF WHICH APPEARED TO BE USING A CELL PHONE.
Narrative: CLRED RWY 9R POST LNDG. TOLD BY GND CTL TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY D FOR MD80. WHILE WAITING FOR MD80 ALLOWED A COUPLE OF VEHICLES TO CROSS IN FRONT OF US ON ROADWAY (CLR HAND SIGNALS FROM BOTH THE PLT AND THE DRIVER TO VERIFY MEANINGS). MD80 NEAR M-6 SO WE STARTED TAXIING TO FOLLOW. HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES AS A CATERING TRUCK CROSSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US! NO SIGNAL FROM ME FOR HIM TO CROSS AND BESIDES HE WASN'T EVEN LOOKING AT US; SITTING THERE TALKING ON HIS CELL PHONE LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE MISS DISTANCE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I FELT I COULD READ THE NUMBER ON HIS PHONE! MY ESTIMATION IS LESS THAN 30 FT! (THE CATERING TRUCK DISAPPEARED ALMOST COMPLETELY AS IT PASSED UNDER THE NOSE.) THESE GND CREWS MUST PAY ATTN! THIS COULD'VE BEEN AN AWFUL WAY TO END THE DAY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.