What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Spirit flight 1565, dtw to myr, was enplaned with passengers and crew on gate C4 at dtw. The boarding door was closed for departure. Push back of the DC-9-81 aircraft, N819NK, was to be accomplished with a tractor and a tow bar. Aircraft marshalling personnel were present at both wing tips. A spare DC-9-81 aircraft, N805NK, was located at the next gate, gate C2. As aircraft 819 was pushed from the gate, the tail began an unintentional swing toward aircraft left. The left wing marshaller and a catering employee perceived the impending collision and tried to gain the attention of the tractor driver, but to no avail. The tail of aircraft 819 struck the tail of aircraft 805 at an approximate 90-degree angle, and did minor damage to both aircraft. Both aircraft were taken out-of-service and repaired prior to their return to service a couple of days later. The tractor driver was escorted to a facility for drug and alcohol testing to be performed, and has been suspended pending a company investigation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SPIRIT FLIGHT 1565, DTW TO MYR, WAS ENPLANED WITH PASSENGERS AND CREW ON GATE C4 AT DTW. THE BOARDING DOOR WAS CLOSED FOR DEPARTURE. PUSH BACK OF THE DC-9-81 AIRCRAFT, N819NK, WAS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A TRACTOR AND A TOW BAR. AIRCRAFT MARSHALLING PERSONNEL WERE PRESENT AT BOTH WING TIPS. A SPARE DC-9-81 AIRCRAFT, N805NK, WAS LOCATED AT THE NEXT GATE, GATE C2. AS AIRCRAFT 819 WAS PUSHED FROM THE GATE, THE TAIL BEGAN AN UNINTENTIONAL SWING TOWARD AIRCRAFT LEFT. THE LEFT WING MARSHALLER AND A CATERING EMPLOYEE PERCEIVED THE IMPENDING COLLISION AND TRIED TO GAIN THE ATTENTION OF THE TRACTOR DRIVER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE TAIL OF AIRCRAFT 819 STRUCK THE TAIL OF AIRCRAFT 805 AT AN APPROXIMATE 90-DEGREE ANGLE, AND DID MINOR DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE TAKEN OUT-OF-SERVICE AND REPAIRED PRIOR TO THEIR RETURN TO SERVICE A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. THE TRACTOR DRIVER WAS ESCORTED TO A FACILITY FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING TO BE PERFORMED, AND HAS BEEN SUSPENDED PENDING A COMPANY INVESTIGATION.
Other reports on N819NK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.