What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Date: June 24, 2003 Logan international airport Boston ma (bos) 15:15 EDT ASI: donald e. small N839AE Embraer Emb-135-KL s/n 145653 FSDO-01 Tuesday 06/24/2003 privacy data omitted amr, American eagle, flight #4644, N839AE, Emb-135-KL, recieved damage to the nose gear and to the underside of the fuselage when the "lektro" pushback vehicle jackknifed during the pushback from the south cargo ramp in Boston at 1510 EDT, 6/24/2003. No injuries, but the aircraft received substantial damage. There were two drivers involved during the pushback procedure. The first driver started the pushback procedure but was having trouble steering the pushback vehicle, and started to jackknife the pushback vehicle. The second driver, who came over to help, jackknifed the pushback vehicle even more and drove the pushback vehicle under the aircraft causing substantial damage to the belly of the aircraft. The damage consisted of a puncture to the belly skin approximately 9 x 7 inches with numerous dents and scratches in three areas. The damage extended from stations 19R to 21L under the main door on the belly of the aircraft. Three stringers and one rib were also damaged. After the accident the pushback vehicle was inspected by a ground support mechanic and found it to be in good working order with no defects noted. The "lektro" pushback vehicle had a total time of 113 hours at the time of the accident. The only damage to the push back vehicle was a bent steering wheel. The two ramp personnel involved were placed on paid admininstrative leave privacy data omitted the two ramp personnel were drug tested. The test results were not available.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DATE: JUNE 24, 2003 LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BOSTON MA (BOS) 15:15 EDT ASI: DONALD E. SMALL N839AE EMBRAER EMB-135-KL S/N 145653 FSDO-01 TUESDAY 06/24/2003 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AMR, AMERICAN EAGLE, FLIGHT #4644, N839AE, EMB-135-KL, RECIEVED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR AND TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE WHEN THE "LEKTRO" PUSHBACK VEHICLE JACKKNIFED DURING THE PUSHBACK FROM THE SOUTH CARGO RAMP IN BOSTON AT 1510 EDT, 6/24/2003. NO INJURIES, BUT THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE TWO DRIVERS INVOLVED DURING THE PUSHBACK PROCEDURE. THE FIRST DRIVER STARTED THE PUSHBACK PROCEDURE BUT WAS HAVING TROUBLE STEERING THE PUSHBACK VEHICLE, AND STARTED TO JACKKNIFE THE PUSHBACK VEHICLE. THE SECOND DRIVER, WHO CAME OVER TO HELP, JACKKNIFED THE PUSHBACK VEHICLE EVEN MORE AND DROVE THE PUSHBACK VEHICLE UNDER THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF A PUNCTURE TO THE BELLY SKIN APPROXIMATELY 9 X 7 INCHES WITH NUMEROUS DENTS AND SCRATCHES IN THREE AREAS. THE DAMAGE EXTENDED FROM STATIONS 19R TO 21L UNDER THE MAIN DOOR ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THREE STRINGERS AND ONE RIB WERE ALSO DAMAGED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PUSHBACK VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A GROUND SUPPORT MECHANIC AND FOUND IT TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE "LEKTRO" PUSHBACK VEHICLE HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 113 HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE PUSH BACK VEHICLE WAS A BENT STEERING WHEEL. THE TWO RAMP PERSONNEL INVOLVED WERE PLACED ON PAID ADMININSTRATIVE LEAVE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE TWO RAMP PERSONNEL WERE DRUG TESTED. THE TEST RESULTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.