# NTSB DCA21LA137: Boeing 737-823, N834NN, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX, May 28, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 28, 2021, 12:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX - Coordinates: 32.897011, -97.043173 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8970&lon=-97.0432&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 166 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: American Airlines - NTSB case key (mKey): 103164 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA21LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103164/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103164 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA137 ## Probable cause The captain’s decision to adjust his flight instruments while taxiing the airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis On May 28, 2021, at 12:40 PM central daylight time, American Airlines flight 1005, a Boeing 737-800, N834NN, struck a light pole while taxing for takeoff at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. There were no injuries to the 166 passengers and crew onboard. The airplane was substantially damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from DFW to the Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS), Nassau, Bahamas. According to the flight crew, this was the Captain’s first flight of the month after being on vacation, and it was the first officer’s (FO) first day back flying since September 2020 due to furlough. The flight crew indicated that prior to pushback, they had setup the airplane for a south departure from DFW. However, after being pushed back, they completed the After Start Checklist and then noticed that the other traffic was departing to the north. After confirming this by tuning in the Automated Terminal Information System (ATIS), they updated their departure clearance before calling the ramp for taxi clearance. The captain stated that the airplane must have veered left of centerline as he and the FO’s attention was focused inside the cockpit as they were reconfiguring the instruments. The captain indicated that the left wing struck a light pole, as he was adjusting the course and heading knobs. The captain stopped the airplane, called ground control, and the airplane was subsequently towed back to the gate. Daylight visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the left wing, including damage to the number 1 leading edge slat, wing skin, front spar, and track ribs. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N834NN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N834NN), registered now, S/N 29576, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 737-823 - Registry model: [Boeing 737-823](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-823) (registry code 13844CB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-7B24/3 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b24-3-series) (registry code 13074, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29576 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 34038 - Engines: CFM INTL CFM56-7B24/3 22800 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM INTL CFM56-7B24/3 22800 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines Inc - Registered owner: American Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Destination: NAS, Nassau, OF - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 8, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 15,209 total, 7,654 in this make and model, 8,337 as pilot in command, 66 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 34; injuries: none; airline transport; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 11, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 7,147 total, 328 in this make and model, 3,562 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft - Temperature: 71 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KDFW ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103164. 6.8 MB in all. - Flight crew statement (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13074907&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Crew%20Statements-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 6.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13075334&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Form%20AAL%201005-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.