# Accident 19980617025119A: Boeing 737322, Denver, CO, June 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 17, 1998, 20:46 local time
- Place: Denver, CO
- Airport: Denver International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: UALA
- Location: 39.8490° N, 104.7000° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8490&lon=-104.7000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N364UA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N364UA-2013-08-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-322 (registry code 138447Y, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-322) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737322
- Reported engine: CFMINT CFM563C1
- People aboard: 69
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,466 total, 3,783 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98FA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA273) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980617025119A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE CATERING TRUCK DRIVER PARKED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE AIRPLANE, AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER FLIGHT AT AN ADJACENT GATE. HE SET THE PARKING BRAKE, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, BUT LEFT THE HEADLIGHTS ON.  HE SAID HE WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING BEHIND THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE THE JETWAY WAS STILL IN POSITION, THE AIRPLANE'S ROTATING BEACON WAS NOT FLASHING, AND ANOTHER CATERING TRUCK WAS SERVICING THE COACH SECTION.  THE OTHER TRUCK THEN MOVED AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE TO SERVICE THE FIRST CLASS SECTION.  AFTER BAGGAGE HAD BEEN LOADED IN THE FORWARD CARGO BIN, THE BELT LOADER WAS BACKED AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE.  NORMALLY, THE BELT LOADER WOULD THEN BE POSITIONED ON THE VEHICLE SERVICE ROAD TO WARN TRAFFIC THAT AN AIRPLANE WAS BEING PUSHED BACK.  THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE BELT LOADER WAS BLOCKED BY THE CATERING TRUCK THAT HAD BACKED AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE.  THE TUG OPERATOR HAD MADE A PREVIOUS WALK-AROUND INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND OBSERVED NO HAZARDS.  HE SAID THAT PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, HE LOOKED UNDER THE AIRPLANE ONE MORE TIME AND SAW NO OBSTACLES.  HE SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE PARKED CATERING TRUCK.  AS THE CATERING TRUCK WAS BACKING AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE, PUSHB ACK BEGAN AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE PARKED CATERING TRUCK.

## 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 FTW98FA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA273), Jun 18, 1998: Boeing 737-322 (N364UA), Denver, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: Inadequate visual lookout by ground personnel (tug operator). Factors include failure of the airline to provide proper assistance (wing walkers) to the tug operator, and inadequate pushback…

## Other reports on N364UA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20030816023859I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030816023859I), Aug 16, 2003: Boeing 737322 (N364UA), Grand Rapids, MI. (-23) United airline flight 1444, B-737, departed o'hare airport enroute to rochester, new york, the pilot advised ATC that the main and standby transponders…

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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