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20171002014309A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Boeing 737-7H4 · Chicago, IL · October 2, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
October 2, 2017 · 08:53 local
Place
Chicago, IL
Airport
Chicago Midway International A
Phase of flight
Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules
Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator
SWAA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N930WN
NTSB investigation
NTSBDCA18CA001
Reported as
Boeing 737-7H4
Reported engine
CFM International CFM56-7B24/3
People aboard
82
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
N930WNRegistered now · Boeing 737-7H4S/N 36636 · Built 2009Airframe modelBoeing 737-7H4Engine modelCFM International CFM56-7B24/3 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.

Aircraft N930WN was parked at gate B22 at Midway (mdw) airport and actively loading passengers when it was struck by a baggage cart tug. The area on the aircraft that was struck was on the left side of the fuselage, forward of the #1 engine. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left side and the underbelly. The baggage cart tug driver stated that the tug went to full RPM and he was unable to stop the tug. The tug driver used the tug brakes and the emergency brakes. He also drove into empty baggage carts trying to use them to stop the tug. When this did not work he jumped off the tug and the tug veered towards and struck the aircraft.

After the accident, the aircraft was towed to a southwest hangar at mdw. A Boeing team arrived to assess the damage and create a cost estimate for repair. The Boeing engineers stated that the damage was considered substantial. The damage was at section 43, from b sta 360 to 540, stringer 13L to stringer 26R. Skin panels, stringers, and frames were replaced in this area. Southwest proceeded with the repair and it was completed on 11/08/2017.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT N930WN WAS PARKED AT GATE B22 AT MIDWAY (MDW) AIRPORT AND ACTIVELY LOADING PASSENGERS WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY A BAGGAGE CART TUG. THE AREA ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT WAS STRUCK WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, FORWARD OF THE #1 ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE AND THE UNDERBELLY. THE BAGGAGE CART TUG DRIVER STATED THAT THE TUG WENT TO FULL RPM AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE TUG. THE TUG DRIVER USED THE TUG BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. HE ALSO DROVE INTO EMPTY BAGGAGE CARTS TRYING TO USE THEM TO STOP THE TUG. WHEN THIS DID NOT WORK HE JUMPED OFF THE TUG AND THE TUG VEERED TOWARDS AND STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT.

AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO A SOUTHWEST HANGAR AT MDW. A BOEING TEAM ARRIVED TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE AND CREATE A COST ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. THE BOEING ENGINEERS STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL. THE DAMAGE WAS AT SECTION 43, FROM B STA 360 TO 540, STRINGER 13L TO STRINGER 26R. SKIN PANELS, STRINGERS, AND FRAMES WERE REPLACED IN THIS AREA. SOUTHWEST PROCEEDED WITH THE REPAIR AND IT WAS COMPLETED ON 11/08/2017.

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 DCA18CA001Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportChicago, ILthe mechanical failure of the tugs fuel governor, which made it difficult for the ramp agent to stop the tug. Contributing to the accident was the lack of guidance on how ground personnel were to handle vehicle malfunctions.Oct 2, 2017 · Substantial damage