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.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.