# NTSB investigations, 2003: 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 ATL04LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA053.md): Canadair CL-600-2B19 · Miami, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 15, 2003 · N445AW · Substantial damage
  > The tug operator's loss of control and his failure to maintain clearance from the aircraft during pushback operations.
- [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 NYC03LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA208.md): Embraer EMB-135 · Flushing, NY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 27, 2003 · N733KR · Substantial damage
  > The inadequate visual lookout by the driver of a ground vehicle, and by ground support personnel, which resulted in a subsequent collision between the airplane and ground vehicle. A factor related to the accident was the failure of the pilot-in-command and…
- [NTSB LAX03LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA295.md): de Havilland DH-8-202 · Phoenix, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 21, 2003 · N455YV · Substantial damage
  > the ground agent's inadequate visual lookout during push back, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance between the airplanes.
- [NTSB NYC03FA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03FA186.md): Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82 · Jamaica, NY · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 2, 2003 · N454AA · Substantial damage
  > A fractured nose gear spray deflector due to contact with a tow bar during pushback, which subsequently jammed and prevented nose gear extension during landing. A factor in this accident was the tow operator's failure to detect the damaged spray deflector.
- [NTSB ATL03LA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA124.md): Boeing 717-200 · Atlanta, GA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 1, 2003 · N970AT · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the ground crew to follow powerback procedures and directives.
- [NTSB NYC03LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA135.md): Embraer EMB-135-KL · Boston, MA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 24, 2003 · N839AE · Substantial damage
  > The tug driver's failure to maintain directional control of the tug, which caused the tug to impact the airplane.
- [NTSB DEN03FA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03FA070.md): McDonnell Douglas MD-88 · Denver, CO · Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 22, 2003 · N974DL · Substantial damage
  > the flight crew's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in engine start with the throttles advanced and the subsequent impact with the tug. Contributing factors include, the flight crew's improper procedures/directives and failure to…
- [NTSB CHI03IA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03IA055.md): Boeing 737-83N · Indianapolis, IN · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jan 16, 2003 · N303TZ · Minor damage
  > The ground tow personnel not maintaining clearance from the de-icing vehicle during the tow back to the gate. Factors were the de-icing vehicle that parked by the airplane's left wing, the ground personnel not following the operator's towing…

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 2003
  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?year=2003

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.