NTSB Factual Report

On November 13, 2003, at 0647 mountain standard time, a Cessna 208B, N717BT, was blown over by a Bombardier, Inc., CL-600-2024, N905J, while taxiing to the active runway from the south cargo area at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona. Tarene Leasing LLC, d.b.a. Baltimore Air Transport/ CorpJet and contracted out to Federal Express (FedEx), operated the airplane (N717BT) under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 as a cargo flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant was not injured. The Mesa Airlines Bombardier CL-600-2024 (N905J) was being run-up as part of a maintenance activity and was not damaged. The maintenance crew was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed.

According to the pilot of the N717BT, while his airplane was being loaded with cargo he noted N905J with its "tail light on" and heard it doing a run-up. He received a clearance from PHX ground at the south cargo area to taxi to runway 25L via taxiway H to H7. After picking up his taxi clearance he reported that the run-up had been completed and the CL-600 seemed to be at idle. As he taxied behind N905J he felt his airplane "buffet, and heard the engines [spool] up." The pilot stated that he did not see the red beacon light blinking, indicating that the engines were running, prior to crossing behind the tail end of N905J.

According to the maintenance crew of N905J, they contacted PHX South Ground (frequency 132.55) at 0620 from the Cutter ramp and requested permission to relocate to the south cargo ramp for maintenance engine runs. After proceeding to the south cargo ramp, they had to wait for outbound traffic to park. The maintenance crew stated that they parked in a designated parking spot in front of the blast fence. One mechanic reported that per the normal engine run procedures the position/navigation and beacon lights were on. Prior to performing the power assurance engine run they verified that there were no aircraft, equipment, or personnel within "the danger zone of our engine run up." About 3 to 5 minutes into the run-up, at high power, they were signaled to shutdown their engines. They reduced the power to idle and began to look out the windows to see what the problem was. When they saw people at the rear of the airplane they shut the engines down completely and when they exited the airplane saw that N717BT had been damaged.

Three witnesses at the southwest corner of the cargo area, near the United Postal Service (UPS) area reported that N905J had been doing a run-up for 3 to 5 minutes prior to N717BT taxiing behind it. Once N717BT taxied behind N905J it went up on its left wing until the pilot of N905J was signaled to shut the engines down, at which point N717BT came to rest on its main landing gear. The witnesses all reported that they did not observe a flashing beacon light on N905J.

Another witness at the cargo ramp reported that he observed N905J doing a run-up with its rotating beacon lights off.

Witnesses at the FedEx maintenance office observed N905J conducting an engine run at high power with the rotating beacon lights on. They observed N717BT taxi behind N905J and start "rocking violently" when it went up on its wing and stayed there until FedEx crew was able to signal the maintenance crew of N905J to shutdown the engines.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the cargo area is considered a nonmovement area, and therefore, not under the authority of the control tower. He also reported that there were no signs concerning jet blast in the accident area. The inspector examined the accident airplane on scene. He noted that the left wing was bent up at a 45-degree angle about 6 feet inboard from the wingtip.

According to the FAA inspector, the CL-600's engines' exhausts were facing towards the blast fence. There was a taxi line behind the CL-600 and the blast fence, which the Cessna utilized while taxiing to the active runway.

A review of the audiotapes from PHX tower indicated that the maintenance crew of N905J contacted the controller for the south ground position and requested a clearance to reposition to the south cargo ramp to conduct engine runs. The controller cleared N905J to the south cargo ramp.

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) #294-2003, issued on October 29, 2003, stated:

Effective Wednesday, October 29, 2003, at 1400 (L) hours, aircraft engine run-up request should be directed to the operations airside supervisor via FAA tower. Location will be determined by prevailing wind and airfield conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's improper decision to taxi behind another airplane conducting an engine run-up, which resulted in a jet blast encounter.