What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During the pushback from gate A36 the tug operator was attempting to straighten the position of the aircraft in the taxiway so that the tail of the aircraft was pointed to the east. During this point of the operation both aircraft engines had started. The aircraft began to slide due to the snow/ice on the taxiway. This action began pushing the tug to pivot over to the right side of the aircraft. As a result the tow bar snapped, the tug then came in contact with the right side of the aircraft in the area of the forward fuselage (forward of the right wing to body fairing), nose wheel well area and left side of the #2 engine. The aircraft came to rest with the left side of the #2 engine air intake cowl leading edge against the tug.
As the FAA filed it
DURING THE PUSHBACK FROM GATE A36 THE TUG OPERATOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO STRAIGHTEN THE POSITION OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TAXIWAY SO THAT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS POINTED TO THE EAST. DURING THIS POINT OF THE OPERATION BOTH AIRCRAFT ENGINES HAD STARTED. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLIDE DUE TO THE SNOW/ICE ON THE TAXIWAY. THIS ACTION BEGAN PUSHING THE TUG TO PIVOT OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS A RESULT THE TOW BAR SNAPPED, THE TUG THEN CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA OF THE FORWARD FUSELAGE (FORWARD OF THE RIGHT WING TO BODY FAIRING), NOSE WHEEL WELL AREA AND LEFT SIDE OF THE #2 ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF THE #2 ENGINE AIR INTAKE COWL LEADING EDGE AGAINST THE TUG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.