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Dhc-8 is blown by another aircraft adding excessive power to taxi. This results in the dhc-8 yawing in excess of 30 degrees from jet blast.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 741671 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200706 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sea.airport |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sea.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance ground : taxi |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2400 |
| ASRS Report | 741671 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 741064 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was the PIC of a flight to seattle international. We arrived early around XA20 and I taxied to our gate. Ground switched us to ramp tower control and we were cleared to our spot. I noticed 2 other airliners facing north on taxiway west line; a B737 and MD80. The MD80 was approximately 100-200 ft north of our spot and I noticed his engines were operational. I approached our spot and waited right behind to MD80 for my marshaller. About the time she signaled me forward into the spot; my aircraft was blasted by the taxiing MD80. The noise was deafening and the wind blew my nose left about 30-45 degrees. I am not sure we moved laterally however. My #1 engine was feathered and my feet were on the brakes. As we started being blown; I jammed on the brakes and held the tiller with my left hand and power levers with my right hand. I looked to my left and saw the MD80 moving very quickly northbound. I don't think I have ever seen a plane taxi that fast. My first officer immediately reported the incident to ATC (ramp) and they said they witnessed it and was calling their maintenance. I called ramp to confirm that it was maintenance at the controls and they confirmed that. My first officer and myself did a postflt inspection and found no damage. I decided to fly the plane on our next leg to where our maintenance base is located. The aircraft taxied with no problems and flew with no problems. After reaching destination; I filled out an incident report and contacted dispatch and maintenance. They downed the aircraft for a precautionary inspection. I found out later in the day that maintenance had found no discrepancies related to the jet blast. I felt my judgement to go to destination was sound but in retrospect I should have contacted maintenance. I know our company was trying to find the offending maintenance crew and I feel they need to be more aware of aircraft on the ramp behind them when they taxi. And of course; they should slow down and use minimum power to taxi.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DHC-8 IS BLOWN BY ANOTHER ACFT ADDING EXCESSIVE POWER TO TAXI. THIS RESULTS IN THE DHC-8 YAWING IN EXCESS OF 30 DEGREES FROM JET BLAST.
Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF A FLT TO SEATTLE INTL. WE ARRIVED EARLY AROUND XA20 AND I TAXIED TO OUR GATE. GND SWITCHED US TO RAMP TWR CTL AND WE WERE CLRED TO OUR SPOT. I NOTICED 2 OTHER AIRLINERS FACING N ON TXWY W LINE; A B737 AND MD80. THE MD80 WAS APPROX 100-200 FT N OF OUR SPOT AND I NOTICED HIS ENGS WERE OPERATIONAL. I APCHED OUR SPOT AND WAITED RIGHT BEHIND TO MD80 FOR MY MARSHALLER. ABOUT THE TIME SHE SIGNALED ME FORWARD INTO THE SPOT; MY ACFT WAS BLASTED BY THE TAXIING MD80. THE NOISE WAS DEAFENING AND THE WIND BLEW MY NOSE L ABOUT 30-45 DEGS. I AM NOT SURE WE MOVED LATERALLY HOWEVER. MY #1 ENG WAS FEATHERED AND MY FEET WERE ON THE BRAKES. AS WE STARTED BEING BLOWN; I JAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND HELD THE TILLER WITH MY L HAND AND PWR LEVERS WITH MY R HAND. I LOOKED TO MY L AND SAW THE MD80 MOVING VERY QUICKLY NBOUND. I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER SEEN A PLANE TAXI THAT FAST. MY FO IMMEDIATELY RPTED THE INCIDENT TO ATC (RAMP) AND THEY SAID THEY WITNESSED IT AND WAS CALLING THEIR MAINT. I CALLED RAMP TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS MAINT AT THE CTLS AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT. MY FO AND MYSELF DID A POSTFLT INSPECTION AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. I DECIDED TO FLY THE PLANE ON OUR NEXT LEG TO WHERE OUR MAINT BASE IS LOCATED. THE ACFT TAXIED WITH NO PROBS AND FLEW WITH NO PROBS. AFTER REACHING DEST; I FILLED OUT AN INCIDENT RPT AND CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT. THEY DOWNED THE ACFT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION. I FOUND OUT LATER IN THE DAY THAT MAINT HAD FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES RELATED TO THE JET BLAST. I FELT MY JUDGEMENT TO GO TO DEST WAS SOUND BUT IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED MAINT. I KNOW OUR COMPANY WAS TRYING TO FIND THE OFFENDING MAINT CREW AND I FEEL THEY NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF ACFT ON THE RAMP BEHIND THEM WHEN THEY TAXI. AND OF COURSE; THEY SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND USE MINIMUM PWR TO TAXI.
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.