# Accident 20000915013959A: Boeing 73749R, New York, NY, September 15, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 15, 2000, 20:30 local time
- Place: New York, NY
- Airport: La Guardia
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: P9OA
- Location: 40.7772° N, 73.8726° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAGUARDIA (LGA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7772&lon=-73.8726&mi=10
- Aircraft: N461PR (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 73749R
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA267) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000915013959A

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING PUSH BACK OF A/C FOR DEPARTURE BY CONTRACT GROUND HANDLERS. (SIGNATURE AVIATION SERVICES) THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE RUDDER ON PRO AIR B737-400 CONTACTED THE LEFT ELEVATOR ANTI-FLOAT TAB OF MIDWEST EXPRESS MD-81 PARKED ON AN OPPOSITE GATE IN THE ALLEYWAY. BOTH THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR TAB SUSTAINED DAMAGE. (.19)ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2000, ABOUT 2030 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BOEING 737-49R, N461PR, OPERATED BY PRO AIR INC., AS FLIGHT 325, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING PUSHBACK FOR TAXI AT THE LA GUARDIA AIRPORT (LGA), FLUSHING, NEW YORK.  THE 2 FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS, 3 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND 53 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT DESTINED FOR THE DETROIT CITY AIRPORT, DETROIT, MICHIGAN.  THE SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.  ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FFA) INSPECTOR, THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING PUSHED BACK FOR GATE C-4, BY THREE SIGNATURE FLIGHT  SUPPORT GROUND CREW EMPLOYEES.  DURING THE PUSHBACK, THE AIRPLANE'S RUDDER STRUCK THE TUG OPERATOR TO STOP "SEVERAL TIMES",                                                          BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO A SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT MANAGER THE TUG OPERATOR HAD BEEN HIRED AND BEGAN PERFORMING AIRPLANE PUSHBACKS IN DECEMBER 1998.  THE WEATHER REPORTED AT LGA, AT 2051, INCLUDED A VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUE MILES, AND SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 8, 500 FEET MSL.

## 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 NYC00LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA267), Sep 16, 2000: Boeing 737-49R (N461PR), Flushing, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The tug operator's inadequate visual lookout. A factor in this accident was the night light condition.

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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