# Accident 20000312017979A: Doug DC1030F, Newark, NJ, March 12, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 12, 2000, 03:47 local time
- Place: Newark, NJ
- Airport: Newark International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: FDEA
- Location: 40.7242° N, 74.1726° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Newark, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7242&lon=-74.1726&mi=10
- Aircraft: N302FE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N302FE-2024-02-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-10-30F (registry code 3024020, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-md-10-30f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CF6-50C2 (registry code 30085, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf6-50c2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG DC1030F
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,842 total, 4,745 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000312017979A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIING TO THE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE WHEN THE APU DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE LOADING DOCK, THE ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN, AND THE APU DOOR WAS CLOSED AND SECURED.  THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES WERE THEN RESTARTED, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN ANOTHER PUSHBACK. ONE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN WAS WEARING A HEADSET, AND WAS LOCATED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE.  ANOTHER TECHNICIAN WAS DRIVING THE TUG.  AFTER RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO PUSH, THE TUG DRIVER MADE A GRADUAL TURN TO AVOID EQUIPMENT AND MINIMIZE JET BLAST TO OTHER GATES.  HALFWAY DOWN THE RAMP, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE LOADING DOCK, AND SUFFERED AN 8-FOOT GASH ALONG THE LEFT SIDE, BELOW THE COCKPIT AREA.  THE TUG OPERATOR STATED THAT THE TUG'S DRIVE MECHANISM WAS STICKING IN A '2-WHEEL,' OR 'CRAB' MODE.  POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE TUG REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES, ALTHOUGH OTHER TECHNICIANS SUBSEQUENTLY COMPLAINED OF THE SAME INTERMITTENT PROBLEM.  COMPONENTS WERE REMOVED FOR TESTING, WITH NO ANOMALIES FOUND.  HOWEVER, ONCE THOSE COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED, THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TUG.  A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TUG'S MANUFACTURER STATED THAT REGARDLESS OF SYSTEM STATUS,  THE OPERATOR WOULD ALWAYS HAVE HAD FRONT WHEEL STEERING AND BRAKING. (-23) ON PUSH-BACK FROM THE LOADING DOCK GATE #3, DRIVER TURNED TOO SOON, CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT HAND SIDE OF FORWARD SIDE UNDER PILOT'S WINDOW. DAMAGE ABOUT BY 8' X 1' DENTING AND RIPPING THROUGH PRESSURIZED SECTION. SOME FRAMES WERE OUT AND DENTED.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N302FE (1)

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

- [Incident 19970609025279I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970609025279I), Jun 9, 1997: Doug DC1030F (N302FE), Chicago, IL. Taxiing to ramp no frequency for area. Had to back up due outboned traffic. ATC then set up 1219 for temp control.

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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