# NTSB DEN05IA071: Boeing 737-282, N789TM, Denver, CO, April 25, 2005 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: April 25, 2005, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.861389, -104.673057 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8614&lon=-104.6731&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 98 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61389 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05IA071 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61389/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05IA071 ## Probable cause the improper operation of the loading bridge which resulted in the loading bridge impacting the airplane. Contributing factors were the failure of the ground personnel to marshal the airplane on the assigned aircraft stop line, lack of supervision and communications during the marshal operations, the lack of qualified personnel conducting the marshal operations, and the inadequate training of ground personnel. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - procedures/directives - improper, ground personnel (cause) - aircraft handling - improper, ground personnel (cause) - supervision - inadequate, ground personnel (contributing factor) - object - airport facility - communications - not performed, ground personnel (contributing factor) - qualification, ground personnel (contributing factor) - inadequate training, ground personnel (contributing factor) ## Analysis THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED DECEMBER 2, 2008. The airplane was being marshalled to the gate by another operator's ground personnel. The ground personnel marshalled the airplane onto the "727" stop bar line, which was located approximately 25 feet forward of the "737" stop bar line. After the airplane was parked, the loading bridge operator maneuvered the loading bridge toward the airplane, and the loading bridge impacted the airplane's left engine pylon fairing. At the time of the incident, the loading bridge wheels were positioned within the painted hash-mark box. The ground operations investigation report stated, "A complete lack of communication among interested parties accompanied by the assigning unqualified agents and a lack of direct supervision was the major cause of this accident. The Supervisor on Duty also directed the marshaller to bring the [aircraft] up to the 727 stop block which is approximately 25-30 feet forward of the 737 stop block. This was only communicated to the marshaller and not to anyone else. The supervisor was not in attendance during the arrival of the [aircraft]." The marshalling of the flight was an irregular operation for the ground personnel which normally handles regional jets. ## Factual narrative THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED DECEMBER 2, 2008 On April 25, 2005, approximately 1105 mountain daylight time, Casino Express flight 211, a Boeing 737-282, N789TM, sustained minor damage when the loading bridge contacted the airplane when it was parked at the gate at Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. None of the 92 passengers, 6 crew members, or ground personnel was injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated at Wendover Airport (ENV), in Wendover, Utah, approximately 0930. According to the flight crew, the airplane was marshalled to gate A52 by Frontier Airlines ground operations. The ground personnel marshalled the airplane onto the "727" stop bar line, which was located approximately 25 feet forward of the "737" stop bar line. After the airplane was parked, the loading bridge operator maneuvered the loading bridge toward the airplane, and the loading bridge impacted the airplane's left engine pylon fairing. At the time of the incident, the loading bridge wheels were positioned within the painted hash-mark box. The flight crew was unaware that the loading bridge impacted the airplane until they were alerted by the cabin crew. According to the Frontier Airlines Ground Accident/Incident Investigation Report, "A complete lack of communication among interested parties accompanied by the assigning unqualified agents and a lack of direct supervision was the major cause of this accident. The Supervisor on Duty also directed the marshaller to bring the [aircraft] up to the 727 stop block which is approximately 25-30 feet forward of the 737 stop block. This was only communicated to the marshaller and not to anyone else. The supervisor was not in attendance during the arrival of the [aircraft]." The report stated the ground marshalling of the Casino Express flight was an irregular operation for the Frontier Jet Express team which normally handles regional jets. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N789TM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N789TM-2005-12-28), registration cancelled 2005-12-28, S/N 23046, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 737-282 - Registry model: [Boeing 737-282](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-282) (registry code 13844AT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-17-series) (registry code 52049, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 23046 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A turbo jet - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Tem Enterprises Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: ENV, Wendover, UT - Destination: DEN, Denver, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DEN, Denver Intl ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 16,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 16,000 as pilot in command - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 9,461 total, 50 in this make and model, 6,992 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 26 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: DEN 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.