National Transportation Safety Board Printed on : 11/18/2010 7:03:49 PM

Washington, DC 20594

Brief of Accident

Adopted 04/25/2007

LAX06LA154
File No. 21357 04/30/2006 Las Vegas, NV Aircraft Reg No. N909FJ Time (Local): 23:01 PDT

Make/Model: Bombardier, Inc. / CL-600-2D24 Fatal Serious Minor/None

Engine Make/Model: General Electric / CF348c5 Crew 0 0 4
Aircraft Damage: Substantial Pass 0 0 85
Number of Engines: 2
Operating Certificate(s): Flag Carrier/Domestic
Name of Carrier: Mesa Airlines, Inc.
Type of Flight Operation: Scheduled; Domestic; Passenger Only
Reg. Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air Carrier

Last Depart. Point: Same as Accident/Incident Location Condition of Light: Night

Destination: Dallas, TX Weather Info Src: Weather Observation Facility
Airport Proximity: On Airport/Airstrip Basic Weather: Visual Conditions
Airport Name: Mc Carran International Lowest Ceiling: None
Runway Identification: NA Visibility: 10.00 SM
Runway Length/Width (Ft): Unk/Nr Wind Dir/Speed: 290 / 004 Kts
Runway Surface: Temperature (°C): 25
Runway Surface Condition: Precip/Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Pilot-in-Command Age: 42 Flight Time (Hours)

Certificate(s)/Rating(s) Total All Aircraft: 6700

Airline Transport; Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Helicopter Last 90 Days: 200
Total Make/Model: 3000
Instrument Ratings Total Instrument Time: UnK/Nr
Airplane; Helicopter

The airliner was struck by a loose string of baggage carts while taxiing for departure. The airplane was traveling down a taxiway toward
the active runway, and upon reaching an intersection, the captain noticed a loose string of baggage carts moving rapidly toward the
airplane in an angled path from left to right. He swerved the airplane to the right of the centerline in an effort to avoid collision
with the baggage carts. The lead rolling baggage cart struck the airplane's left wing, and the airplane traveled about 150 feet further
down the taxiway before coming to a complete stop. The lead baggage cart came to rest wedged between the wing and taxiway surface. The
airplane sustained substantial damage. The string of carts came from the direction of the concourse D gates 10 through 14. The baggage
carts were equipped with a manual towbar actuated front two-wheel brake system. The parking brake is designed to activate by the
operator raising the towbar to the vertical position. To release the parking brake, the brake/towbar-latch is pushed down by foot while
the top of the tow bar is pushed inward toward the cart until the brake/towbar-latch is unhooked. Northwest Airlines, the owner of
runaway carts, issued an employee memorandum after the accident reiterating the importance of ensuring that the braking system is engaged
when leaving carts unattended.
 Brief of Accident (Continued)

LAX06LA154
File No. 21357 04/30/2006 Las Vegas, NV Aircraft Reg No. N909FJ Time (Local): 23:01 PDT

Occurrence #1: ON GROUND/WATER COLLISION WITH OBJECT

Phase of Operation: TAXI - TO TAKEOFF

Findings
1. (C) AIRPORT EQUIPMENT,GROUND SUPPORT - OTHER
2. (C) PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES - NOT FOLLOWED - GROUND PERSONNEL

Findings Legend: (C) = Cause, (F) = Factor

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The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows.
The failure of ground service personnel to properly set the parking brake on the lead baggage cart.