20030422009199A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Doug MD-88 · Denver, CO · April 22, 2003

Date: April 22, 2003 · 13:01 local
Place: Denver, CO
Airport: Denver International
Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: DALA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N974DL
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03FA070
Reported as: Doug MD88
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,941 total2,113 in this make and model190 in the last 90 days

N974DLRegistration cancelled Feb 15, 2023 · Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88S/N 53242 · Built 1991 Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas MD-88 Engine modelPratt & Whitney JT8D seriesTurbo-jet

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft arrived den as delta flt. 1185 at 09:51. Outbound flt. 964 was delayed due to maint. On a slat warning light problem. A/c pushed back at 1206 MDT. After tug and tow bar removed, capt. called with another slat light problem. Maint. Told capt. to bring a/c back to gate. A/c was taxied back to gate. Maint. M.e.l. ed. The light and a/c was pushed back a 2nd time with tug and tow bar. Prior to the tug and tow bar being removed, a/c moved forward under its own power. This caused the left side of the fuselage tocontact the tug resulting in substantial damage. The tow bar being attached to the tug caused the nose landing gear to pivot beyond the 180' resulting in damage to the linkage and steering mech. All info. Is being coordinated with delta cmo. Pilot and 1st officer statements are attached explaining the accident causal factors.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT ARRIVED DEN AS DELTA FLT. 1185 AT 09:51. OUTBOUND FLT. 964 WAS DELAYED DUE TO MAINT. ON A SLAT WARNING LIGHT PROBLEM. A/C PUSHED BACK AT 1206 MDT. AFTER TUG AND TOW BAR REMOVED, CAPT. CALLED WITH ANOTHER SLAT LIGHT PROBLEM. MAINT. TOLD CAPT. TO BRING A/C BACK TO GATE. A/C WAS TAXIED BACK TO GATE. MAINT. M.E.L. ED. THE LIGHT AND A/C WAS PUSHED BACK A 2ND TIME WITH TUG AND TOW BAR. PRIOR TO THE TUG AND TOW BAR BEING REMOVED, A/C MOVED FORWARD UNDER ITS OWN POWER. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE TOCONTACT THE TUG RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE TOW BAR BEING ATTACHED TO THE TUG CAUSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO PIVOT BEYOND THE 180' RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LINKAGE AND STEERING MECH. ALL INFO. IS BEING COORDINATED WITH DELTA CMO. PILOT AND 1ST OFFICER STATEMENTS ARE ATTACHED EXPLAINING THE ACCIDENT CAUSAL FACTORS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN03FA070Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal reportDenver, COthe flight crew's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in engine start with the throttles advanced and the subsequent impact with the tug. Contributing factors include, the flight crew's improper procedures/directives and failure to…Apr 22, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N974DL · 1

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

Incident 19951228046629ITakeoff Ground Roll · Pittsburgh, PANarrative: on t/o roll at 85 kn. Pilot heard bang. A/c pulled left. L/h engine instruments showed ni on spool down. Aborted t/o. smell of light smoke in cabin. Shutdown engine and taxied back to gate. Pax said sparks and smoke coming from l/h engine prior to…Dec 28, 1995