# Incident 20111222029509I: Boeing 737-7H4, Denver, CO, December 22, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 22, 2011, 14:35 local time
- Place: Denver, CO
- Airport: Denver International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: SWAA
- Location: 39.7502° N, 104.9996° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7502&lon=-104.9996&mi=10
- Aircraft: N469WN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N469WN) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-7H4 (registry code 1384404, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7h4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-7H4
- Reported engine: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES
- People aboard: 0
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12IA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111222029509I

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 22, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 1435 LOCAL TIME SWAA AIRCRAFT N469WN WAS STRUCK BY A SNOW PLOW WHILE PARKED AT GATE C29 AT DEN.  WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AS LIGHT SNOW FALL WITH FAIR VISIBILITY AT THE TIME.  SWAA FLIGHT 575 WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BOARDING PASSENGERS, BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE ON THE FUSELAGE UNDER THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LH HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TO INCLUDE SEVERAL PUNCTURES AND DENTS IN THE AIRCRAFT SKIN AND A SEVERED STRINGER (S17L).  AN ENTRY WAS CREATED ON AIRCRAFT LOG PAGE 7364606 ITEM 1 STATING "WHILE PARKED AT GATE, TAIL SECTION WAS STRUCK BY SNOW PLOW".SWAA INITIALLY NOTIFIED NAAS, A CONTRACT MAINTENANCE PROVIDER, BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CAPABILITIES.  A TEAM OF SWAA MECHANICS WAS LATER DISPATCHED FROM PHOENIX AND BEGAN WORK ON THE AIRCRAFT AT ABOUT 0100 ON DECEMBER 23, 2011 TO MAKE THE AIRCRAFT READY FOR A FERRY FLIGHT.  ENGINEERING AUTHORIZATION 1-753-18121 WAS BEING UTILIZED AND THE SUPERVISOR OF THE TEAM STATED THEY WERE WAITING ON ANOTHER PART OF THE ENGINEERING AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FINAL REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS.  THE SUPERVISOR WAS ANTICIPATING THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT SEVERAL CONDITIONAL INSPECTIONS TO INCLUDE THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, A SIDE-LOAD INSPECTION AND A GENERAL VISUAL INSPECTION.

## 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 CEN12IA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA123), Dec 22, 2011: Boeing 737-7H4 (N469WN), Denver, CO, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The snowplow operator’s incapacitation due to fatigue, which resulted in the snowplow contacting a parked airplane. Contributing to the incident was the company’s lack of a policy regarding employee…

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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