Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B N421XJ

Summary

On 14 March 2006 at about 03:15 local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B registered N421XJ, operated by Mesaba Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Alpena, Michigan, United States. 14 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 March 2006 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Alpena, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Alpena County Regional (APN)

Coordinates

45.0781, -83.5603

Aircraft

Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B

Registration

N421XJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Mesaba Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alpena → Sault Ste Marie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI06LA092

Nobody was injured.

The station agent's inability to maintain control of the stroller when he lost his balance exiting the airplane's cargo compartment, allowing it to be blown into the operating right propeller. A factor was the high, gusty winds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when a baby stroller being off-loaded from the cargo compartment inadvertently entered the right propeller arc and was struck by the operating propeller. The operator reported that after the airplane's engines had been started, it was discovered that a baby stroller had not been off-loaded. The station agents notified the captain, who shut down the left engine. An agent accessed the cargo compartment, located at the left, rear portion of the airplane. While he was exiting the compartment, the station agent lost his balance and dropped the stroller onto the ramp. The stroller landed on its wheels and was blown under the fuselage by the wind and into the right main landing gear. The stroller was subsequently blown forward into the right propeller arc, where the operating propeller struck it. Fragments from the stroller impacted the airplane's fuselage, puncturing three holes and causing several dents in the pressurized fuselage. The wind speed was about 20 knots, gusting to 31 knots, at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.