# Accident 20051226030609A: Doug MD83, Seattle, WA, December 26, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 26, 2005, 16:47 local time
- Place: Seattle, WA
- Airport: Seattle-Tacoma International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: ASAA
- Location: 47.4489° N, 122.3094° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4489&lon=-122.3094&mi=10
- Aircraft: N979AS (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DOUG MD83
- People aboard: 142
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 13,978 total, 621 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA06LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA033) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051226030609A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ASAA FLIGHT 536 DEPARTED SEA/TAC ENROUTE TO BURBANK. APPROXIMATELY 1625 PDT AT FL 260 THE FLIGHT CREW EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A RAPID CABIN DEPRESSURIZATION. THE CREW EXECUTED A RAPID DESCENT AND RETURNED TO SEATTLE. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE GROUND A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED FUSELAGE DAMAGE 2 FEET AFT OF THE FORWARD CARGO PIT DOOR, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BAGGAGE TUG HAD HIT THE SKIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE TUG OPERATOR WHO HAD BEEN TRAINED IN REPORTING DAMAGE FAILED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT. (-23 AMENDMENT) *NOTE* AFTER ANALYSIS BY STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AT THE SEATTLE AIRCRAFT EVALUATION GROUP OF THE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE SKIN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BAGGAGE TUG IMPACT TO THE FUSELAGE CAUSED A HOLE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S SKIN.

## 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 SEA06LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA033), Dec 27, 2005: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (N979AS), Seattle, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The ground personnel baggage handler failed to maintain clearance from the aircraft with cargo handling equipment during ground operations and inadvertently damaged the airplane's pressure bulkhead…

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.

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