What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 01/06/98 the pilot in command of American airlines flt. 2027 while taxiing in a non-movement area of the Philadelphia int'l airport reported that a baggage tug had driven into the aircraft. No injuries were incurred by the 107 passengers or crew members. This investigation revealed that an enclosed tug and baggage cart ran into the left side of the fuselage. The enclosed cab on the tub was torn off and the tug continued under the fuselage as the aircraft was taxiing forward. The tug and baggage cart stopped forward of the main landing gear, the aircraft received minor damage. (.4) the airplane had just been pushed back from the gate. As the flight crew were taxiing in a non-movement area, the airplane and a tug collided. The captain felt the impact, but thought the airplane had experienced a blown tire. Neither he nor any of the cockpit crew saw the tug before impact. All witnesses stated that the tug did not brake or swerve prior to the collision. Examination of the damaged tug and its maintenance forms revealed no mechanical problems. No deficiencies were found in the driver's training jacket. After a 2 week vacation, this was the driver's first day back on the job. He was driving the tug since 0430, without any reported mechanical problems. The emergency room doctor stated that there was no symptoms detected of any medical events which could have caused the driver to lose consciousness. The driver recalled that 'while driving the tug, he dropped his water container, and the last thing he could remember was reaching down for it.'
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 01/06/98 THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AMERICAN AIRLINES FLT. 2027 WHILE TAXIING IN A NON-MOVEMENT AREA OF THE PHILADELPHIA INT'L AIRPORT REPORTED THAT A BAGGAGE TUG HAD DRIVEN INTO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED BY THE 107 PASSENGERS OR CREW MEMBERS. THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN ENCLOSED TUG AND BAGGAGE CART RAN INTO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE ENCLOSED CAB ON THE TUB WAS TORN OFF AND THE TUG CONTINUED UNDER THE FUSELAGE AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING FORWARD. THE TUG AND BAGGAGE CART STOPPED FORWARD OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. (.4) THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST BEEN PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE. AS THE FLIGHT CREW WERE TAXIING IN A NON-MOVEMENT AREA, THE AIRPLANE AND A TUG COLLIDED. THE CAPTAIN FELT THE IMPACT, BUT THOUGHT THE AIRPLANE HAD EXPERIENCED A BLOWN TIRE. NEITHER HE NOR ANY OF THE COCKPIT CREW SAW THE TUG BEFORE IMPACT. ALL WITNESSES STATED THAT THE TUG DID NOT BRAKE OR SWERVE PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. EXAMINATION OF THE DAMAGED TUG AND ITS MAINTENANCE FORMS REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. NO DEFICIENCIES WERE FOUND IN THE DRIVER'S TRAINING JACKET. AFTER A 2 WEEK VACATION, THIS WAS THE DRIVER'S FIRST DAY BACK ON THE JOB. HE WAS DRIVING THE TUG SINCE 0430, WITHOUT ANY REPORTED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SYMPTOMS DETECTED OF ANY MEDICAL EVENTS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS. THE DRIVER RECALLED THAT 'WHILE DRIVING THE TUG, HE DROPPED HIS WATER CONTAINER, AND THE LAST THING HE COULD REMEMBER WAS REACHING DOWN FOR IT.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N845AA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.