- Date
- December 18, 2010, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Philadelphia, PA
- Injuries
- 222 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Pushback/towing
- Defining events
- Pushback/towing: Ground handling eventPushback/towing: Ground handling event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA reports
- 20101218054602A20101218054652A
- Case key
- 78035
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the failure of the ground operations personnel to maintain awareness of the relative position of the two airplanes.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N913WN · Boeing 737-7H4
N650SW · Boeing 737-3H4
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N913WN · Boeing 737-7H4
N650SW · Boeing 737-3H4
Analysis
On December 18, 2010, at 1100 eastern standard time, a Boeing 737-700, registration number N913WN, operated by Southwest Airlines as flight 2592 to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, collided with a Boeing 737-300, registration number N650SW, operated by Southwest Airlines as flight 3944 to Tampa, Florida, during pushback from the gate at Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA. The left wing and horizontal stabilizer of N913WN contacted the right winglet and horizontal stabilizer of N650SW. N650SW had been previously pushed back and awaiting taxi clearance at the time of the incident. The tug operator reported he looked away at an uninvolved airplane and when he looked back, the wing walker was signalling him to stop, but he was unable to stop prior to impact. N913WN was substantially damaged due to the impact to the wing spar. N650SW had minor damage. There were no injuries to the 10 total crew members, 215 total passengers, and 2 ground operations personnel.
Factual narrative
On December 18, 2010, at 1100 eastern standard time, a Boeing 737-700, registration number N913WN, operated by Southwest Airlines as flight 2592 to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, collided with a Boeing 737-300, registration number N650SW, operated by Southwest Airlines as flight 3944 to Tampa, Florida, during pushback from the gate at Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA. The left wing and horizontal stabilizer of N913WN contacted the right winglet and horizontal stabilizer of N650SW. N650SW had been previously pushed back and awaiting taxi clearance at the time of the incident. The tug operator reported he looked away at an uninvolved airplane and when he looked back, the wing walker was signalling him to stop, but he was unable to stop prior to impact. N913WN was substantially damaged due to the impact to the wing spar. N650SW had minor damage. There were no injuries to the 10 total crew members, 215 total passengers, and 2 ground operations personnel.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N913WN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-7H4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29840
- Airframe hours
- 9,987
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,200 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,200 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 18, 2010
- Departed
- KPHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Destination
- KFLL · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KPHL · Philadelphia
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N650SW
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-3H4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27720
- Airframe hours
- 44,479
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 2,200 horsepower, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 2,200 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 18, 2010
- Departed
- KPHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Destination
- KTPA · Tampa, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KPHL · Philadelphia
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N913WN
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,106 total · 7,800 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N913WN
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,620 total · 3,000 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N650SW
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 9,500 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N650SW
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,586 total · 4,086 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- KPHL
Docket · 11
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N913WN · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.