What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft, with engines running, was in front of the hangar waiting for someone to marshall them out. The line service person was driving a tug in front of the a/c, making an arc to the right. A tow bar on top of the tug shifted, and when the driver attempted to restrain the towbar, he lost his balance and fell off the tractor. The tractor continued in a right turn and contacted the right wing, at the fence, bending the fence, and punching a 1/2" hole in the leading edge, scraping the bottom of the wing, and coming to rest approx. 28" back from the leading edge. There were no injuries to the crew, or the tug driver. After the leading edge was removed, it was determined that the front spar was damaged in four places.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT, WITH ENGINES RUNNING, WAS IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO MARSHALL THEM OUT. THE LINE SERVICE PERSON WAS DRIVING A TUG IN FRONT OF THE A/C, MAKING AN ARC TO THE RIGHT. A TOW BAR ON TOP OF THE TUG SHIFTED, AND WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RESTRAIN THE TOWBAR, HE LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL OFF THE TRACTOR. THE TRACTOR CONTINUED IN A RIGHT TURN AND CONTACTED THE RIGHT WING, AT THE FENCE, BENDING THE FENCE, AND PUNCHING A 1/2" HOLE IN THE LEADING EDGE, SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE WING, AND COMING TO REST APPROX. 28" BACK FROM THE LEADING EDGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW, OR THE TUG DRIVER. AFTER THE LEADING EDGE WAS REMOVED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT SPAR WAS DAMAGED IN FOUR PLACES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.