What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 09, 2010 at 1930 pacific daylight time (pdy) a Boeing 737-3H4 was struk by a runaway baggage tug at the Los Angeles international airport (klax). The aircraft was being pushed back from the gate for a flight to tucson, Arizona. At that time a southwest ground service employee parked a baggage tug between gate 3 and gate 5 at terminal 1. The employee exited the tug to retrieve two bags sitting on the ramp, putting one of the bags on the front passenger seat. As the employee picked up the second bag he observed the tug moving towards a fueling cart that was also parked between gate 3 and 5. The tug rolled about 30 feet struk the fueling cart then veered off the side of the fueling cart and proceeded towards the southwest airlines aircraft (N624SW) that had just been pushed back from gate 5. The tug travelled about 130 feet further impacting N624SW'S number 1 engine. The tug continued under the aircraft causing skin damage to the left side of the fuselage, then stopped after impacting the right engine nacelle. No passengers or ground crew were injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 09, 2010 AT 1930 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDY) A BOEING 737-3H4 WAS STRUK BY A RUNAWAY BAGGAGE TUG AT THE LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KLAX). THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE FOR A FLIGHT TO TUCSON, ARIZONA. AT THAT TIME A SOUTHWEST GROUND SERVICE EMPLOYEE PARKED A BAGGAGE TUG BETWEEN GATE 3 AND GATE 5 AT TERMINAL 1. THE EMPLOYEE EXITED THE TUG TO RETRIEVE TWO BAGS SITTING ON THE RAMP, PUTTING ONE OF THE BAGS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. AS THE EMPLOYEE PICKED UP THE SECOND BAG HE OBSERVED THE TUG MOVING TOWARDS A FUELING CART THAT WAS ALSO PARKED BETWEEN GATE 3 AND 5. THE TUG ROLLED ABOUT 30 FEET STRUK THE FUELING CART THEN VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE FUELING CART AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AIRCRAFT (N624SW) THAT HAD JUST BEEN PUSHED BACK FROM GATE 5. THE TUG TRAVELLED ABOUT 130 FEET FURTHER IMPACTING N624SW'S NUMBER 1 ENGINE. THE TUG CONTINUED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING SKIN DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, THEN STOPPED AFTER IMPACTING THE RIGHT ENGINE NACELLE. NO PASSENGERS OR GROUND CREW WERE INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N624SW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.