# NTSB investigations, CA: Pushback/towing

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB DCA11CA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA11CA073.md): Boeing 757-222 · San Fransico, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 12, 2011 · N571UA · Substantial damage
  > The ramp personnel's failure to visually verify the position of the jetway before beginning the airplane pushback.
- [NTSB WPR11LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA300.md): Boeing 757-222 · Los Angeles, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 31, 2011 · N526UA · Minor damage
  > The ground crewmembers’ failure to follow proper procedures for removing a stuck or jammed tow bar, which resulted in a ground crew injury.
- [NTSB WPR10FA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10FA199.md): Boeing 737-3H4 · Los Angeles, CA · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 10, 2010 · N624SW · Substantial damage
  > The tug operator’s failure to comply with company procedures when parking an unoccupied baggage tug, and the failure of the tug’s seat switch to disengage the electric motor when weight was removed from the driver’s seat.
- [NTSB DCA09FA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09FA022.md): Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83 · Los Angeles Intl Airport, CA · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 26, 2008 · N9617R · Substantial damage
  > The first officer's unannounced advancement of the left engine throttle, which led to a sustained application of high thrust that caused the airplane to impact the tug.
- [NTSB SEA08LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA061.md): Bombardier CL-600-2C10 · San Francisco, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 14, 2008 · N705SK · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The company tug operator's failure to maintain clearance with another aircraft during the pushback process. Also causal was the ground controller's failure to alert the pilot of the other aircraft and tug operator of this airplane of the simultaneous pushback…
- [NTSB LAX07LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA189.md): Boeing 757-24APF · Burbank, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 24, 2007 · N402UP · No damage
  > The tow tractor driver's and mechanic's diverted attention resulting in the airplane rolling over the mechanic's foot. Also causal was the mechanic's failure to maintain clearance from the nose landing gear.
- [NTSB LAX04LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA007.md): Boeing 777-22B · San Francisco, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 7, 2003 · N222UA · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > the failure of the taxiing Boeing 777's flight crew to maintain clearance from a Boeing 777 that was being pushed back from the gate. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the local ramp controller to caution either aircrew of a possible movement…
- [NTSB LAX99LA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA302.md): Boeing 737-322 · Los Angeles, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 1999 · N388UA · Substantial damage
  > The lavatory service driver's failure to follow established company procedures and directives. A factor in the accident was the airline's use of a one person pushback procedure.
- [NTSB LAX96LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA222.md): Boeing 737-322 · San Francisco, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 1996 · N371UA · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > inadequate visual lookout by the United Airlines tug driver during the pushback operation. Contributing factors were: the driver's reduced ability to observe the American B-767 due to the nighttime condition, and United Airlines management's failure to ensure…
- [NTSB LAX94LA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA357.md): Canadair CL600 · Burbank, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 8, 1994 · N403SW · Substantial damage
  > the ground crew's failure to follow company procedures. The failure of the operator to provide headsets to communicate with the flightcrew and the poor lighting conditions were factors in this accident.
- [NTSB LAX92LA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA336.md): Boeing 737-200 · San Francisco, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 6, 1992 · N9010U · No damage
  > The improper installation of the towbar. Contributing to the accident was a disconnected tow bar during push back.
- [NTSB LAX86IA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX86IA021.md): Boeing 727-200 · Oakland, CA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Oct 24, 1985 · N6815A · Minor damage
  > On October 24, 1985, an American airlines 727 collided with a parked united airlines 727 during a power back operation at Oakland, CA. IMC existed at the time with visibility limited to 0 ft due to fog. The aa ac sustained minor damage to its left wing and…
- [NTSB LAX84IA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX84IA040.md): Boeing 767 · San Francisco, CA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Nov 2, 1983 · N605TW · Minor damage
  > During pushback the right wingtip of the Boeing 767 struck the rudder of a Douglas DC-9 parked at the adjacent gate. The B-767 was being pushed back by two mechanics, one on thetug & one under the left wing.
- [NTSB LAX82FA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX82FA195.md): Douglas DC10-10 · San Francisco, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report · May 27, 1982 · N1833U · Substantial damage
  > During the initial pushback from the gate prior to eng start a loud noise was heard & the acft nose slowly settled onto the tug that was performing the pushback. The captain ordered the acft evacuated using the emergency slides. The upper jaw of the towbar…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
WITH phase_names(main, name) AS (VALUES (100, 'Prior to flight'), (150, 'Standing'), (200, 'Pushback/towing'), (250, 'Taxi'), (300, 'Takeoff'), (350, 'Initial climb'), (400, 'Enroute'), (450, 'Maneuvering'), (500, 'Approach'), (550, 'Landing'), (600, 'Emergency descent'), (650, 'Uncontrolled descent'), (700, 'Post-impact'), (750, 'After landing'), (800, 'Other'), (990, 'Unknown')),
  crosswalk(code, main, name) AS (VALUES (500, 150, 'Standing'), (501, 150, 'Standing - pre-flight'), (502, 150, 'Standing - starting engine(s)'), (503, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) operating'), (504, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) not operating'), (505, 150, 'Standing - idling rotors'), (510, 250, 'Taxi'), (511, 200, 'Taxi - pushback/tow'), (512, 250, 'Taxi - to takeoff'), (513, 250, 'Taxi - from landing'), (514, 250, 'Taxi - aerial'), (520, 300, 'Takeoff'), (521, 300, 'Takeoff - roll/run'), (522, 350, 'Takeoff - initial climb'), (523, 300, 'Takeoff - aborted'), (530, 400, 'Climb'), (531, 400, 'Climb - to cruise'), (540, 400, 'Cruise'), (541, 400, 'Cruise - normal'), (542, 400, 'Maneuvering - holding (IFR)'), (550, 400, 'Descent'), (551, 400, 'Descent - normal'), (552, 600, 'Descent - emergency'), (553, 650, 'Descent - uncontrolled'), (560, 500, 'Approach'), (561, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - downwind'), (562, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base turn'), (563, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final'), (564, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - final approach'), (565, 500, 'Go-around (VFR)'), (566, 500, 'Approach - IAF to FAF/outer marker (IFR)'), (567, 500, 'Approach - FAF/outer marker to threshold (IFR)'), (568, 500, 'Circling (IFR)'), (569, 500, 'Missed approach (IFR)'), (570, 550, 'Landing'), (571, 550, 'Landing - flare/touchdown'), (572, 550, 'Landing - roll'), (573, 550, 'Landing - aborted'), (574, 550, 'Emergency landing'), (575, 550, 'Emergency landing after takeoff'), (576, 600, 'Emergency descent/landing'), (580, 450, 'Maneuvering'), (581, 450, 'Maneuvering - aerial application'), (582, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction'), (583, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)'), (590, 450, 'Hover'), (591, 450, 'Hover - in ground effect'), (592, 450, 'Hover - out of ground effect'), (600, 800, 'Other'), (610, 990, 'Unknown')),
  current_codes AS (
    SELECT e.case_mkey, TRY_CAST(e."tier1Number" AS INTEGER) AS code,
      row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY e.case_mkey ORDER BY coalesce(e."isDefiningEvent", false) DESC, e.position) AS n
    FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e
    WHERE e.aircrafts_position = 1 AND e."tier1Number" GLOB '[1-9][0-9]*'
      AND (e."isDefiningEvent" OR e.case_mkey IN (SELECT "mKey" FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' WHERE "isPre1982"))
  ),
  phases AS (
    SELECT case_mkey, 'current' AS scheme, code, CASE WHEN code >= 990 THEN 990 ELSE code // 50 * 50 END AS main
    FROM current_codes WHERE n = 1
    UNION ALL
    SELECT o.case_mkey, 'older', o."phaseOfFlightCode", w.main
    FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o JOIN crosswalk w ON w.code = o."phaseOfFlightCode"
    WHERE o.aircrafts_position = 1 AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o.case_mkey NOT IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM current_codes)
  ),
  case_phases AS (
    SELECT p.*, c."eventDate", c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AS fatal, a.aircraft_model_code
    FROM phases p JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c."mKey" = p.case_mkey
    LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = p.case_mkey AND a.position = 1
    WHERE c."eventDate" >= DATE '1962-01-01' AND p.main IN (SELECT main FROM phase_names)
  )
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'CA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 200)
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/200/cases?state=CA

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