# Incident 20180822012089I: Embraer S A ERJ 170-200 LR, New York, NY, August 22, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 22, 2018, 15:45 local time
- Place: New York, NY
- Airport: Laguardia
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: R61A
- Location: 40.7772° N, 73.8726° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAGUARDIA (LGA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7772&lon=-73.8726&mi=10
- Aircraft: N429YX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N429YX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Embraer S A ERJ 170-200 LR (registry code 3260415, https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-s-a-erj-170-200-lr) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CF34-8E5 (registry code 30061, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-8e5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EMBRAER S A ERJ 170-200 LR
- Reported engine: GE CF34-8E5
- People aboard: 56
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 5,419 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180822012089I

## Narrative

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

08/22/18 DURING PUSHBACK THE TUG DOOR SWUNG OPEN AND PUNCTURED THE RADOME, MAINTENANCE DETERMINED THAT NO UNDERLYING DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE OCCURRED. MAINTENANCE COMPLETED THE REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF THE RADOME AND DOCUMENTED IT ON LOGPAGE R482967. MAINTENANCE RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO SERVICE.

THE PUSHBACK TEAM WERE COMPRISED OF AMERICAN AIRLINES EMPLOYEES AND THEY PARTICIPATED IN A POST DAMAGE CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE STATION LEADERSHIP, R61A  AND AALA SAFETY. ACCORDING TO R61A THEY WILL ALLOW AALA TO HANDLE THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WITH THEIR OWN EMPLOYEE GROUP. AALA HAS COMMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS:

TRACTOR DRIVER WAS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTED AND WITHHELD FROM DUTY PENDING RESULTS.

PUSH TRACTOR PS120 WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE PENDING A SAFETY INSPECTION.

A POST DAMAGE INVESTIGATIVE CALL WAS CONDUCTED BY SAFETY WITH THE PUSH CREW EMPLOYED, UNION REPRESENTATIVES, CORPORATE SAFETY AND LGA CUSTOMER OPERATION LEADERSHIP.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES: CUSTOMER OPERATIONS WILL SEND OUT AN INCIDENT BRIEFING LETTER TO ALERT THE PUSH TEAMS OF THE DAMAGE AND AS A REMINDER TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES.

AN ADDITIONAL SAFETY ALERT ON THE INCIDENT WILL BE CREATED, DISTRIBUTED AND BRIEFED WITH ALL LOCAL RAMP EMPLOYEES.

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED.

THIS EVENT MEETS THE INCIDENT CRITERIA PER FAA ORDER 8020.11D.

THIS EVENT WAS PROMOTED TO AN INCIDENT DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTORS FROM LGA PROVIDED DETAILS OF THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION BELOW:

REFERENCE PTRS EA15201804406 FOR ON-SCENE OCCURRENCE INVESTIGATION.

NEW YORK, NY (LGA): RPA5907, N429YX, E75S, LGA-RDU, WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE, THE TUG DOOR STRUCK THE NOSE CONE. AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK TO THE GATE AND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTITUTED FOR THE FLIGHT. POB: 52, INJURIES: NONE, DAMAGE: EXTENT UNKNOWN. 08/22/2018 1945Z. PERFORMED AN ON-SITE INVESTIGATION AT LGA AIRPORT. SPOKE TO LOCAL MX MANAGER AND INSPECTED BOTH AIRCRAFT AND TUG. ON PUSH BACK DURING A TURN WHEN TUG DOOR OPENED CONTACTED AIRCRAFT RADOME. SAFETY RECOMMENDATION TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF DAMAGE AGAIN IS TO USE A LOW PROFILE PUSH BACK TUG OR REMOVE DOORS FROM THE TUGS THAT ARE PRESENTLY BEING USED. ALSO OBSERVED SEVERAL OTHER TUGS WITH PLASTIC SCREEN DOORS WITH A ZIPPER WHICH IS PREFERRED.CREW ITEM - NOSE RADOME RECEIVED PUNCTURED COMPOSITE SKIN.MX CORRECTIVE ACTION-R/R RADOME PER AMM 53-14-00-400-801-A.

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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