# Accident 19970327023269A: Lkheed 10113853, New York, NY, March 27, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 27, 1997, 18:40 local time
- Place: New York, NY
- Airport: John F Kennedy International
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: DALA
- Location: 40.6399° N, 73.7787° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at JOHN F KENNEDY INTL (JFK), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6399&lon=-73.7787&mi=10
- Aircraft: N762DA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N762DA-2010-06-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lockheed L-1011-385-3 (registry code 5265020, https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-l-1011-385-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211-22 series (registry code 54554, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-22-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LKHEED 10113853
- Reported engine: RROYCE RB21122*
- People aboard: 202
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 18,300 total, 1,622 in this make and model, 173 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA064) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970327023269A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE L-1011 WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE BY A GROUNDCREW OF 3 EMPLOYEES. THE TUG OPERATOR WAS SEATED FACING THE AIRPLANE, WHILE WING WALKERS WERE PLACED AT THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING TIPS.  THE TUG OPERATOR THEN LOOKED OVER HIS RIGHT SHOULDER TO PULL THE AIRPLANE FORWARD, TO ALIGN IT WITH THE CENTER LINE OF THE TAXIWAY.  DURING THIS MOVEMENT, HE MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE LEFT WING WALKER.  WHEN THE FORWARD MOTION WAS INITIATED, THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING WALKERS STARTED TO CONVERGE TOWARDS THE TOW BAR, ANTICIPATING THE DISCONNECT OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN IT STOPPED.  THE LEFT WING WALKER OBSERVED THE RIGHT WING WALKER, THE DESIGNATED DISPATCH AGENT (DA) FOR THE FLIGHT, APPROACH THE TOW BAR. THE LEFT WING WALKER GLANCED AT THE LEFT WING TIP, AND WHEN HIS VISION RETURNED TO THE TOW BAR, THE RIGHT WING WALKER WAS UNDER THE NOSE WHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE WITH THE TUG OPERATOR'S HEADSET CORD.  THE DELTA GROUND OPERATIONS MANUAL 10-043 (GOM), DID NOT SPECIFY WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUSHBACK CREW SHOULD BE POSITIONED DURING THE PUSHBACK TO ENSURE SAFETY.  THE GOM ALSO DID NOT DISCUSS ANY POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH AIRCRAFT MOVEMENT AND ENGINE OPERATION. THE DA, USUALLY ONE OF THE TWO  WING WALKERS, WAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN VIEW OF THE TUG DRIVER AND IN VIEW OF THE FLIGHT CREW DURING PUSHBACK MANEUVER. ALSO, THE DA WAS REQUIRED TO MONITOR THE PUSHBACK, AND 'BE PREPARED TO ACT ON ANY SIGNALS FORM THE WING WALKERS.' THE COMPANY PUBLISHED NEW PROCEDURES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC97LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA064), Mar 27, 1997: Lockheed L-1011 (N762DA), Jamaica, NY, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the right wing walker, also the push back supervisor, to identify and avoid a hazardous condition, which resulted in his activity near the airplane's nose wheel during tow operations,…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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