What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 18, 2010, southwest airlines (swa) flight 3944 (N650SW) received clearance from phl ramp control 2 for pushback from gate E-11AT 1103 EST. It was subsequently pushed onto the centerline for the east taxiway between terminals e & f and disconnected from the pushback tug. At 11:06 EST, swa flight 2592 (N913WN) called for and received push clearance from gate E-9 from phl ramp control 2. Aircraft N650SW was positioned on the taxiway centerline behind gate E-9 with both engines running, parking brake set and called ramp 2 for taxi clearance at 11:06 EST (approximately 30 seconds after N913WN'S call for push clearance). As N913WN was being pushed in a turn to align with the centerline of the taxiway with #2 engine running, its aft left wing stuck the right winglet of N650SW. The lower left horizontal stabilizer of N913WN also contacted the top of the right horizontal stabilizer of N650SW. The stabilizer damage appeared to consist mostly of paint transfer. The damage to N650SW appeared to be confined to the winglet. The damage to N913WN was substantial and resulted in a breach of the fuel surge tank and substantial damage to the rear spar of the left wing. There were no reported injuries on either aircraft to the passengers. The tapes from ramp 2 recorded the clearance given to the flight crew of N913WN as "push approved, call for taxi." The flight crew conveyed this information to the push crew. During interviews with both on-scene witnesses and the push crew for N913WN, it was determined that there was loss of communication and/or visual contact between the tug driver and wing walker. The wing walker was aware of the aircraft in the alley behind N913WN and was signaling for the tug driver to stop the push. The tug driver stated that while he knew the approximate position of aircraft in the alley, he could not see the aircraft from his position and he commenced his push once he received the push clearance from the flight crew. The breakdown in this vital link between the wing walker and the tug driver contributed to the collision of these two aircraft. There was no report of the collision to phl operations, ramp 2 or any requests made for Philadelphia fire and rescue response. Approximately 1 hour after the collision, the aircraft were towed apart and back to the gate with passengers on-board. This accident highlights several concerns over post-accident passenger safety procedures and possible breakdowns in notification and communication procedures. These items will be forwarded to the appropriate organizations for their review and action. See related atqa# AEA1710035 for N913SW
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 18, 2010, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES (SWA) FLIGHT 3944 (N650SW) RECEIVED CLEARANCE FROM PHL RAMP CONTROL 2 FOR PUSHBACK FROM GATE E-11AT 1103 EST. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUSHED ONTO THE CENTERLINE FOR THE EAST TAXIWAY BETWEEN TERMINALS E & F AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE PUSHBACK TUG. AT 11:06 EST, SWA FLIGHT 2592 (N913WN) CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED PUSH CLEARANCE FROM GATE E-9 FROM PHL RAMP CONTROL 2. AIRCRAFT N650SW WAS POSITIONED ON THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE BEHIND GATE E-9 WITH BOTH ENGINES RUNNING, PARKING BRAKE SET AND CALLED RAMP 2 FOR TAXI CLEARANCE AT 11:06 EST (APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS AFTER N913WN'S CALL FOR PUSH CLEARANCE). AS N913WN WAS BEING PUSHED IN A TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE CENTERLINE OF THE TAXIWAY WITH #2 ENGINE RUNNING, ITS AFT LEFT WING STUCK THE RIGHT WINGLET OF N650SW. THE LOWER LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF N913WN ALSO CONTACTED THE TOP OF THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF N650SW. THE STABILIZER DAMAGE APPEARED TO CONSIST MOSTLY OF PAINT TRANSFER. THE DAMAGE TO N650SW APPEARED TO BE CONFINED TO THE WINGLET. THE DAMAGE TO N913WN WAS SUBSTANTIAL AND RESULTED IN A BREACH OF THE FUEL SURGE TANK AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR SPAR OF THE LEFT WING. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES ON EITHER AIRCRAFT TO THE PASSENGERS. THE TAPES FROM RAMP 2 RECORDED THE CLEARANCE GIVEN TO THE FLIGHT CREW OF N913WN AS "PUSH APPROVED, CALL FOR TAXI." THE FLIGHT CREW CONVEYED THIS INFORMATION TO THE PUSH CREW. DURING INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH ON-SCENE WITNESSES AND THE PUSH CREW FOR N913WN, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS LOSS OF COMMUNICATION AND/OR VISUAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TUG DRIVER AND WING WALKER. THE WING WALKER WAS AWARE OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE ALLEY BEHIND N913WN AND WAS SIGNALING FOR THE TUG DRIVER TO STOP THE PUSH. THE TUG DRIVER STATED THAT WHILE HE KNEW THE APPROXIMATE POSITION OF AIRCRAFT IN THE ALLEY, HE COULD NOT SEE THE AIRCRAFT FROM HIS POSITION AND HE COMMENCED HIS PUSH ONCE HE RECEIVED THE PUSH CLEARANCE FROM THE FLIGHT CREW. THE BREAKDOWN IN THIS VITAL LINK BETWEEN THE WING WALKER AND THE TUG DRIVER CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLISION OF THESE TWO AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF THE COLLISION TO PHL OPERATIONS, RAMP 2 OR ANY REQUESTS MADE FOR PHILADELPHIA FIRE AND RESCUE RESPONSE. APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRCRAFT WERE TOWED APART AND BACK TO THE GATE WITH PASSENGERS ON-BOARD. THIS ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS SEVERAL CONCERNS OVER POST-ACCIDENT PASSENGER SAFETY PROCEDURES AND POSSIBLE BREAKDOWNS IN NOTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES. THESE ITEMS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR REVIEW AND ACTION. SEE RELATED ATQA# AEA1710035 FOR N913SW
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 aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.
Other reports on N650SW · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.