# Incident 20241203017759I: Embraer ERJ 170-100 LR, Columbia, MO, December 3, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 3, 2024, 20:15 local time
- Place: Columbia, MO
- Airport: Columbia Regional Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: SIMA
- Location: 38.8177° N, 92.2178° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at COLUMBIA RGNL (COU), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8177&lon=-92.2178&mi=10
- Aircraft: N791DK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N791DK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Embraer ERJ 170-100 LR (registry code 326040B, https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-erj-170-100-lr) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CF34-8E5 (registry code 30061, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-8e5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EMBRAER ERJ 170-100 LR
- Reported engine: GE CF34-8E5
- People aboard: 0
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,983 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241203017759I

## Narrative

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

ON 12/03/2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 20:15C, COLUMBIA, MO (COU), 4 CREW, 18 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. WHILE PUSHING BACK, THE TUG AND AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP, BEFORE THE TOWBAR COULD BE DISCONNECTED, THE FRONT WHEELS OF THE TUG TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND THE TUG ACCELERATED ROTATING AROUND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD OF THE L/H WING-TO-BODY FAIRING CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THIS MOVEMENT CAUSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR (NLG) TO ROTATE APPROXIMATELY 230 DEGREES FROM THE STRAIGHT/FORWARD POSITION WHICH IS BEYOND THE ALLOWABLE ROTATION LIMIT. THE TOWBAR ATTACH PIN ON THE NLG BROKE AND THE TOWBAR WAS JAMMED IN BETWEEN THE NLG WHEELS.  THE TUG DRIVER STATED THAT THEY REMEMBER PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT BACK AND STOPPING, BUT DOES NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTERWARDS, UNTIL THEY WERE GETTING OUT OF THE TUG. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THEY HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION AND HAS NOT BEEN TAKING THIER MEDICATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HAD AN  EPISODE IN OVER A YEAR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE TUG DRIVER MENTIONED THIER MEDICAL CONDITION TO THE CARRIER. THE TUG DRIVER WAS DRUG TESTED AND PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.  THE NLG WAS INSPECTED AND AN INTERIM REPAIR WAS INSTALLED ON THE FUSELAGE DAMAGE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS MX FERRIED TO A REPAIR STATION FOR REPAIRS.

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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