OpenAirDocs.org

20051214029829A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Boeing 727-2S2F · Memphis, TN · December 14, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 14, 2005 · 03:05 local
Place
Memphis, TN
Airport
Memphis International
Phase of flight
Other Ground Ops
Operating rules
Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator
FDEA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N213FE
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL06LA024
Reported as
Boeing 7272S2F
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
N213FERegistration cancelled May 5, 2014 · Boeing 727-2S2FS/N 22935 · Built 1984Airframe modelBoeing 727-2S2FEngine modelPratt & Whitney JT8D-17 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 213FE, a Boeing 727 operated by federal express was positioned on gate 600 awaiting pushback. Gate 600 pushback requires the tail to be turned east for a west taxi. The tug operator is responsible for aligning the aircraft for departure. As the aircraft approached (push phase) the junction line (intersection of taxiway centerline and gate entrance line), the aircraft was stopped facing, nose southwest. The tug operator initiated the tow process by signaling to her crew that she was ready to pull the aircraft forward to align it with the taxiway centerline. At some point, the shear pins failed between the nose gear attachment head and bar assembly during either the pushback or towing modes of operation, which resulted in the tug and aircraft colliding. Initial contact between the two vehicle and aircraft occurred on the right side of the tug and right side of the aircraft behind the nose landing gear. Damage to the aircraft is substantial between, sta.385 (RH side) and continues to sta. 440 (LH side) with gouges extending 3 to 4 feet aft. Damage was also found on the RH nose landing gear sheel. The tug driver sustained injury to her right shoulder, separated in two places and a fractured jaw.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT 213FE, A BOEING 727 OPERATED BY FEDERAL EXPRESS WAS POSITIONED ON GATE 600 AWAITING PUSHBACK. GATE 600 PUSHBACK REQUIRES THE TAIL TO BE TURNED EAST FOR A WEST TAXI. THE TUG OPERATOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALIGNING THE AIRCRAFT FOR DEPARTURE. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED (PUSH PHASE) THE JUNCTION LINE (INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAY CENTERLINE AND GATE ENTRANCE LINE), THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOPPED FACING, NOSE SOUTHWEST. THE TUG OPERATOR INITIATED THE TOW PROCESS BY SIGNALING TO HER CREW THAT SHE WAS READY TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD TO ALIGN IT WITH THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE. AT SOME POINT, THE SHEAR PINS FAILED BETWEEN THE NOSE GEAR ATTACHMENT HEAD AND BAR ASSEMBLY DURING EITHER THE PUSHBACK OR TOWING MODES OF OPERATION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TUG AND AIRCRAFT COLLIDING. INITIAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO VEHICLE AND AIRCRAFT OCCURRED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TUG AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT BEHIND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIAL BETWEEN, STA.385 (RH SIDE) AND CONTINUES TO STA. 440 (LH SIDE) WITH GOUGES EXTENDING 3 TO 4 FEET AFT. DAMAGE WAS ALSO FOUND ON THE RH NOSE LANDING GEAR SHEEL. THE TUG DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY TO HER RIGHT SHOULDER, SEPARATED IN TWO PLACES AND A FRACTURED JAW.

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 ATL06LA024Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMemphis, TNThe improper towing of the airplane by the tug operator which resulted in the shearing of the towbar shear pin and subsequent collision of the airplane and tug.Dec 14, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N213FE · 2

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

Incident 19870724061979IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Anchorage, AKDuring taxi into a parking spot power was added to complete a turn. Jet blast blew a C170 over.Jul 24, 1987Incident 19870602046659IClimb · Albany, NYReturned with overheat light in aft compartment. Replaced moisture separator socks.Jun 2, 1987