# Incident 20030116006049I: Boeing 73783N, Indianapolis, IN, January 16, 2003

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 16, 2003, 08:16 local time
- Place: Indianapolis, IN
- Airport: Indianapolis International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: AMTA
- Location: 39.7172° N, 86.2944° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7172&lon=-86.2944&mi=10
- Aircraft: N303TZ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N303TZ-2005-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-83N (registry code 13844HI, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-83n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 73783N
- People aboard: 70
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,140 total, 942 in this make and model, 244 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI03IA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03IA055) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030116006049I

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JANUARY 16, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 0816L HOURS, FLIGHT 925, A B-737-83N, N303TZ WAS BEING PULLED BACK TO THE GATE C-9 WHEN THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD SECTION IMPACTED A DE-ICING TRUCK. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A SCHEDULE BLOCK OUT OF 0740L AND WAS PUSHED BACK AT 0738L. DUE TO SNOWING CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM GATE C-9 FOR DE-ICING. DURING THE DE-ICING OPERATIONS, A PASSENGER ON BOARD FLIGHT 925 COMPLAINED OF BEING ILL AND WANTED OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAIN CALLED DISPATCH FOR A TOW BACK TO THE GATE. AS THE DE-ICING OPERATION CONCLUDED, THE DE-ICING TRUCK WHICH DE-ICED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT REPOSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE NEXT AIRCRAFT TO BE DE-ICED AT GATE C-10. THE TUG DRIVER (GROUND CREW LEADER) SENT THE LEFT WING WALKER TO THE AIRCRAFT BLOCK TO CLEAN OFF THE SNOW, WHILE THE LEFT WING WALKER WAS AT THE BLOCK, THE TUG DRIVER COMMENCED THE TOW OPERATION. APPROXIMATELY 25-50 FEET INTO THE TOW OPERATION THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE DE-ICING 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 CHI03IA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03IA055), Jan 16, 2003: Boeing 737-83N (N303TZ), Indianapolis, IN, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The ground tow personnel not maintaining clearance from the de-icing vehicle during the tow back to the gate. Factors were the de-icing vehicle that parked by the airplane's left wing, the ground…

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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