# Accident 20031004024399A: Boeing 737823, Boston, MA, October 4, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 4, 2003, 14:50 local time
- Place: Boston, MA
- Airport: General Edward Lawrence Logan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: AALA
- Location: 42.3642° N, 71.0050° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3642&lon=-71.0050&mi=10
- Aircraft: N972AN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N972AN) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-823 (registry code 13844CB, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-823) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56-7B series (registry code 13803, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737823
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC04CA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA003) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031004024399A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT #847, B-737-823, N972AN, WHILE PARKED AT BOSTON TERMINAL B, GATE 26, WAS STRUCK BY AN UNOCCUPIED GROUND SUPPORT AMERICAL EAGLE VAN ON SATURDAY 10/04/03 AT 1450 EDT. PASSENGERS WERE BOARDING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. MASSPORT FIRE RESCUE REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPLANED AND CANCELLED. DAMAGE WAS A 10-INCH PUNCTURE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, FORWARD OF THE #1 ENGINE. THE VAN APPRARENTLY HAD A FAULTY SHIFTER THAT WAS FOUND IN PARK BUT WAS ACTUALLY IN REVERSE. STATE POLICE REPORT: "THE VAN IN QUESTION WAS LAST USED BY AMERICAN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HE PARKED IT NEAR THE BAGGAGE BUILDING AT 1430HRS AND TURNED IT OFF. THIS OFFICE BELIEVES SOMEONE HAD TO USE OR MOVE THE VAN. THE PERSON THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO WHAT THE GEARSHIFT LEVER INDICATED, WHICH WAS PARK. HOWEVER, THE GEARSHIFT LEVER INDICATOR WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REALLY IN REVERSE. THE VAN THEN BELIEVED TO BE IN PARK, ROLLED AND STRUCK THE PLANE. DAMAGE TO THE PLANE WAS ESTIMATED BY AMERICAL PERSONNEL TO BE 20K." MASSPORT OPERATIONS REPORT: THE VAN WAS INSPECTED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE AND FOUND TO HAVE A FAULTY GEARSHIFT LEVER. AT THE TIM E OF THE ACCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND THE GEARSHIFT LEVER WAS FOUND IN THE "PARK" POSITION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE GEARSHIFT LEVER INDICATED IT WAS IN PARK, BUT WAS ACTUALLY IN REVERSE. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET. DAMAGE CONSISTED OF A TEN-INCH HOLE WITH A LARGER DENTED AREA IN THE FUSELAGE PRESSURE BULKHEAD LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE MIDWAY BETWEEN THE LEFT ENGINE AND THE L1 DOOR. A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS AUTHORIZED BY AMERICAN AIRLINES FLEET ENGINEERING. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AND INSPECTED AND FERRIED TO THE MAIN MAINTENANCE BASE IN KANSAS CITY FOR EVALUATION AND PERMANENT REPAIRS.

## 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 NYC04CA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA003), Oct 4, 2003: Boeing 737 (N972AN), Boston, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The collision of a ground support vehicle with a parked aircraft, due to the faulty gearshift lever on the ground support vehicle.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.