What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 21, 1998, at 2215 mountain standard time, N269FE, a Boeing model 727-233, was substantially damaged when a tow bar broke while the aircraft was being pushed back at Denver International Airport. According to the tug driver, the aircraft was being pushed back through snow that was approximately 12 to 16 inches deep on the cargo ramp. The tow bar broke and the tug slid into the nose of the aircraft. The radome and forward pressure bulkhead of the aircraft were substantially damaged and the windshield of the tug collapsed inward. No injuries were sustained by ground or flight crew personnel. The aircraft was being operated as a domestic cargo flight under FAR part 121. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, however, the cargo ramp was snow packed. (.19) on December 21, 1998, at 2215 mountain standard time, a Boeing 727-233, N269FE, operated by federal express corporation as flight 1004, was substantially damaged after being struck by a tug during push back at Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado. The airplane transport rated captain, first officer and flight engineer were not injured. The aircraft was bein g operated as a scheduled domestic cargo flight under title 14 CFR part 121, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan was filed for the flight to los angeles airport, los angeles, California. According to a representative of federal express corporation, a tug was pushing the aircraft back when the wheels of the airplane got stuck in snow. When a larger tug attempted to move the aircraft, the shear pin of the tow bar broke. The tug struck the aircraft, causing damage to the radome and forward pressure bulkhead.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 21, 1998, AT 2215 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, N269FE, A BOEING MODEL 727-233, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN A TOW BAR BROKE WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PUSHED BACK AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE TUG DRIVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PUSHED BACK THROUGH SNOW THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 16 INCHES DEEP ON THE CARGO RAMP. THE TOW BAR BROKE AND THE TUG SLID INTO THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE RADOME AND FORWARD PRESSURE BULKHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE WINDSHIELD OF THE TUG COLLAPSED INWARD. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY GROUND OR FLIGHT CREW PERSONNEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A DOMESTIC CARGO FLIGHT UNDER FAR PART 121. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, HOWEVER, THE CARGO RAMP WAS SNOW PACKED. (.19) ON DECEMBER 21, 1998, AT 2215 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BOEING 727-233, N269FE, OPERATED BY FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION AS FLIGHT 1004, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A TUG DURING PUSH BACK AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DENVER, COLORADO. THE AIRPLANE TRANSPORT RATED CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER AND FLIGHT ENGINEER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEIN G OPERATED AS A SCHEDULED DOMESTIC CARGO FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 121, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT TO LOS ANGELES AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION, A TUG WAS PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT BACK WHEN THE WHEELS OF THE AIRPLANE GOT STUCK IN SNOW. WHEN A LARGER TUG ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT, THE SHEAR PIN OF THE TOW BAR BROKE. THE TUG STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RADOME AND FORWARD PRESSURE BULKHEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.