# NTSB DEN06IA068: Boeing 747-400, Denver, CO, April 23, 2006

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: April 23, 2006, 16:33 local (22:33 UTC)
- Place: Denver, CO
- Coordinates: 39.861667, -104.673057
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8617&lon=-104.6731&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 401 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 63583
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN06IA068
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63583/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN06IA068

## Probable cause

The ground crew's failure to retract the adjacent jetway and to verify the airplane's clearance with the jetway as it taxied.

## 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
  - object - airport facility (contributing factor)
  - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - procedures/directives - not followed, company/operator management (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The Boeing 747-400 was taxiing to the gate following landing.  The adjacent jetway had not been retracted completely after it was last used.  As the airplane approached its jetway, the airplane's number 1 engine struck the adjacent jetway causing scraping, dents, and puncture damage to the engine nacelle.

## Factual narrative

On April 23, 2006, at 1633 mountain daylight time, a Boeing 747-400, DABVN, operated by Lufthansa German Airlines and piloted by an airline transport certificated pilot, sustained minor damage when it collided with a jetway while taxiing to its gate at Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident.  The scheduled foreign passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 129 under an instrument flight rules flight plan.  The captain, first officer, relief captain, 16 flight attendants, and 382 passengers were not injured.  The transoceanic flight originated in Frankfurt, Germany, at an undetermined time, and had landed at its destination when the incident occurred.

The station manager reported that Flight 446 was taxiing into gate A41.  The jetway for the adjacent gate, gate A43, had not been retracted after its last usage.  The airplane's number 1 engine struck the A43 jetway.  An examination of the airplane revealed the number 1 engine nacelle had been scraped, dented, and punctured.

Following the incident, Lufthansa revised their station manual procedures to position two additional marshalling wing walkers so as to prevent a recurrence of this type incident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: DABVN (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Boeing 747-400
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: RT441
- Airframe hours: 74199
- Engines: General Electric CF6-80 turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Registered owner: Lufthansa German Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: FRA, Frankfurt
- Destination: DEN, Denver, CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: DEN, Denver International

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review March 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 19,635 total, 234 in the last 90 days
- Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 7,463 total, 294 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 30,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.86 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.

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