What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During push back from gate A-2, at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's terminal 4, the tail of america west airlines' Airbus A-320, N627AW, struck the elevated walkway joining concourses a and 1N. Specifically, the tug operator pushed the aircrafts' nose wheel to a t mark on the ramp area which had been established prior to the construction of the new concourse walkway. The distance from the t to the walkway was 94 feet 4 inches and the length of the aircraft is 123 feet 3 inches. The horizontal stabilizer and elevator, on aircraft right, struck the reinforced concrete structure of the elevated walkway, sustaining substantial damage. Investigation disclosed the tug operator failed to observe the emergency stop signal being provided by the wing walker on aircraft right. Additionally, radio transmitted instructions were provided to the tug operator from the ramp control tower.(non-movement area) to push the aircraft to the t, contrary to an existing ground operations bulletin prohibiting this action.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING PUSH BACK FROM GATE A-2, AT PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S TERMINAL 4, THE TAIL OF AMERICA WEST AIRLINES' AIRBUS A-320, N627AW, STRUCK THE ELEVATED WALKWAY JOINING CONCOURSES A AND 1N. SPECIFICALLY, THE TUG OPERATOR PUSHED THE AIRCRAFTS' NOSE WHEEL TO A T MARK ON THE RAMP AREA WHICH HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW CONCOURSE WALKWAY. THE DISTANCE FROM THE T TO THE WALKWAY WAS 94 FEET 4 INCHES AND THE LENGTH OF THE AIRCRAFT IS 123 FEET 3 INCHES. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR, ON AIRCRAFT RIGHT, STRUCK THE REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURE OF THE ELEVATED WALKWAY, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE TUG OPERATOR FAILED TO OBSERVE THE EMERGENCY STOP SIGNAL BEING PROVIDED BY THE WING WALKER ON AIRCRAFT RIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, RADIO TRANSMITTED INSTRUCTIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THE TUG OPERATOR FROM THE RAMP CONTROL TOWER.(NON-MOVEMENT AREA) TO PUSH THE AIRCRAFT TO THE T, CONTRARY TO AN EXISTING GROUND OPERATIONS BULLETIN PROHIBITING THIS ACTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.