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20160217001792A

Accident · Minor damage
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FAA accident report · Boeing 737-823 · Detroit, MI · February 17, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
February 17, 2016 · 06:00 local
Place
Detroit, MI
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator
AALA
Collision
Collision on the ground
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N925NN
NTSB investigation
NTSBDCA16CA094
Reported as
Boeing 737-823
Reported engine
CFM International CFM56-7B24E
People aboard
155
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
10,449 total2,120 in this make and model89 in the last 90 days
N925NNRegistered now · Boeing 737-823S/N 31169 · Built 2013Airframe modelBoeing 737-823Engine modelCFM International CFM56-7B24E seriesTurbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On February 17th, 2016, at approximately 0600 local time, the emi-fsdo was notified of an accident at dtw airport involving two Boeing 737

Aircraft contacting each other on the 21R deicing pad, a southwest

Airlines B737-700 (N784SW) and

American airlines B737-800 (N925NN).

N784SW was struck by N925NN. The ground contact resulted in substantial

Damage to N784SW and minimal damage to the N925NN.

The initial investigation has revealed the following facts, in summary:

*Swa 9 taxied from the north terminal to the runway 21R deicing pad.

Swa 9 entered slot 3 of the deicing pad, but stopped approximately 127'

Short (the length of the aircraft) of the stop line at the top of the

Slot. However, swa 9 was positioned parallel to another aircraft being

Deiced in slot 2.

*Swa 9 was not marshalled or guided to the correct nose-wheel stopping

Point, contrary to 2015-2016 dtw airport remote pad deicing plan, page 6

And page 8.

*Swa employees began deicing the aircraft, even though it was not properly

Positioned in the deice pad.

Swa utilized one deicing truck and deice crew, contrary to the 2015-2016

Dtw airport remote pad deicing plan, page 4.

*During the deicing of swa 9, aal 1241 approached the deice pad, heading

For a slot to the left of swa 9.

Because of the incorrect positioning of swa 9 in the pad, aal 1241 was

Taxiing with the nose-wheel significantly off of the centerline,

To maneuver around swa 9. The aircraft was photographed to be

In a position such that the right main gear was approximately on the centerline.

*While attempting to taxi behind swa 9, the right winglet of aal 1241

Contacted the leading edge of swa 9'S right horizontal stabilizer,

Slicing underneath and across, through the APU exhaust cone and stopping in contact with the left elevator control tab.

*Post-accident, both aircraft were towed back to the north terminal where

Passengers were disembarked normally.

As the FAA filed it

ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 0600 LOCAL TIME, THE EMI-FSDO WAS NOTIFIED OF AN ACCIDENT AT DTW AIRPORT INVOLVING TWO BOEING 737

AIRCRAFT CONTACTING EACH OTHER ON THE 21R DEICING PAD, A SOUTHWEST

AIRLINES B737-700 (N784SW) AND

AMERICAN AIRLINES B737-800 (N925NN).

N784SW WAS STRUCK BY N925NN. THE GROUND CONTACT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL

DAMAGE TO N784SW AND MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE N925NN.

THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING FACTS, IN SUMMARY:

*SWA 9 TAXIED FROM THE NORTH TERMINAL TO THE RUNWAY 21R DEICING PAD.

SWA 9 ENTERED SLOT 3 OF THE DEICING PAD, BUT STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 127'

SHORT (THE LENGTH OF THE AIRCRAFT) OF THE STOP LINE AT THE TOP OF THE

SLOT. HOWEVER, SWA 9 WAS POSITIONED PARALLEL TO ANOTHER AIRCRAFT BEING

DEICED IN SLOT 2.

*SWA 9 WAS NOT MARSHALLED OR GUIDED TO THE CORRECT NOSE-WHEEL STOPPING

POINT, CONTRARY TO 2015-2016 DTW AIRPORT REMOTE PAD DEICING PLAN, PAGE 6

AND PAGE 8.

*SWA EMPLOYEES BEGAN DEICING THE AIRCRAFT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT PROPERLY

POSITIONED IN THE DEICE PAD.

SWA UTILIZED ONE DEICING TRUCK AND DEICE CREW, CONTRARY TO THE 2015-2016

DTW AIRPORT REMOTE PAD DEICING PLAN, PAGE 4.

*DURING THE DEICING OF SWA 9, AAL 1241 APPROACHED THE DEICE PAD, HEADING

FOR A SLOT TO THE LEFT OF SWA 9.

BECAUSE OF THE INCORRECT POSITIONING OF SWA 9 IN THE PAD, AAL 1241 WAS

TAXIING WITH THE NOSE-WHEEL SIGNIFICANTLY OFF OF THE CENTERLINE,

TO MANEUVER AROUND SWA 9. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED TO BE

IN A POSITION SUCH THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS APPROXIMATELY ON THE CENTERLINE.

*WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAXI BEHIND SWA 9, THE RIGHT WINGLET OF AAL 1241

CONTACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF SWA 9'S RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER,

SLICING UNDERNEATH AND ACROSS, THROUGH THE APU EXHAUST CONE AND STOPPING IN CONTACT WITH THE LEFT ELEVATOR CONTROL TAB.

*POST-ACCIDENT, BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE TOWED BACK TO THE NORTH TERMINAL WHERE

PASSENGERS WERE DISEMBARKED NORMALLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DCA16CA094Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportDetroit, MIN925NN flight crew's incorrect evaluation of the clearance between the two aircraft, leading to the inadvertent collision of the winglet with the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of N784SW.Feb 17, 2016 · 2 aircraft · Minor damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N784SWBoeing 737-7H4Accident 20160217002962A · Substantial damage