What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Delta airlines flight 2515, aircraft N3735D, during passenger boarding, prior to departing from jfk terminal 4, a delta airlines gate tug while attempting to push an inoperative aircraft belt loader away from the front of the aircraft?s the forward cargo compartment, struck and impacted the right hand side of the aircraft?s fuselage.
According to incident reports and aircraft maintenance records provided from the air carrier and airport agencies stated that during the preparation for departure of the subject aircraft, the driver of the delta airlines gate tug was attempting to remove an inoperative delta airlines belt loader away from the front of the aircraft?s forward cargo compartment. At this time both vehicles were operated by delta airlines employees. The driver of the gate tug approached the belt loader from the north which placed the tug adjacent to the aircraft. As the driver of the gate tug made contact with the belt loader, the tug spun slightly, causing the rear right tail light of the tug to impact and damage the right side of the aircraft?s fuselage, approximately 5-6 feet forward of the forward cargo door at station 330.62, just above S-23R.
The aircraft sustained a deep gouge and dent from the impact measuring approximately 18.125 inches x .500 inches deep. It appeared that the damage consisted of no cracks. No injuries were reported.
As the FAA filed it
DELTA AIRLINES FLIGHT 2515, AIRCRAFT N3735D, DURING PASSENGER BOARDING, PRIOR TO DEPARTING FROM JFK TERMINAL 4, A DELTA AIRLINES GATE TUG WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUSH AN INOPERATIVE AIRCRAFT BELT LOADER AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT?S THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT, STRUCK AND IMPACTED THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT?S FUSELAGE.
ACCORDING TO INCIDENT REPORTS AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS PROVIDED FROM THE AIR CARRIER AND AIRPORT AGENCIES STATED THAT DURING THE PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE OF THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT, THE DRIVER OF THE DELTA AIRLINES GATE TUG WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE AN INOPERATIVE DELTA AIRLINES BELT LOADER AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT?S FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT. AT THIS TIME BOTH VEHICLES WERE OPERATED BY DELTA AIRLINES EMPLOYEES. THE DRIVER OF THE GATE TUG APPROACHED THE BELT LOADER FROM THE NORTH WHICH PLACED THE TUG ADJACENT TO THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE DRIVER OF THE GATE TUG MADE CONTACT WITH THE BELT LOADER, THE TUG SPUN SLIGHTLY, CAUSING THE REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT OF THE TUG TO IMPACT AND DAMAGE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT?S FUSELAGE, APPROXIMATELY 5-6 FEET FORWARD OF THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR AT STATION 330.62, JUST ABOVE S-23R.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A DEEP GOUGE AND DENT FROM THE IMPACT MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 18.125 INCHES X .500 INCHES DEEP. IT APPEARED THAT THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF NO CRACKS. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
Other reports on N3735D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.