- Date
- May 12, 2011, 18:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 298 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi: Ground collisionTaxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 23, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- Delta Airlines, FAA Delta CMO
- FAA report
- 20110512030362I
- Case key
- 79093
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 B737-700 pilot did not maintain adequate wing tip clearance while taxiing around the stopped B-737-800.
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.
N308DE · Boeing 737-732
N378DA · Boeing 737-832
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.
N308DE · Boeing 737-732
N378DA · Boeing 737-832
Analysis
The captain of a B737-800 had taxied to the entry of the assigned parking ramp where he stopped and waited for the ground crew to clear the parking area, post wing walkers, and give him the signal to park. The captain of a B737-700, which was following the B737-800, requested, through the ramp controller, that the stopped airplane move forward so that his airplane could pass. The B737-800 taxied forward and stopped again. The captain of the B737-700 then attempted to pass the B737-800, and the left winglet struck the B737-800’s right elevator, substantially damaging it.
Factual narrative
The captain of the Boeing B737-700 reported that he was cleared to follow a company B737-800 to the ramp. The B737-800 captain reported that he was cleared to gate E3, however he needed to hold his position near gate E1 so that ramp personnel could prepare the gate for arrival. The captain of the B737-700 realized that his airplane was blocking the taxiway at the entry to the ramp, so he relayed a request through ramp tower to have the B737-800 move forward. Ramp tower relayed the request, and the captain of the B737-800 reportedly moved forward about 20 to 30 feet. The captain of the B737-700 began to taxi around the right side of the B737-800, but reported that the B737-800 did not taxi forward as far as he expected. The captain of the B-737-700 was concerned with the clearance between his left wingtip and the tail and the right wingtip of the B737-800. While shifting his attention between his wingtip and the B-737-800, he felt the shudder as the upper part of B737-700 left winglet contacted the outer part of the B737-800 right elevator. Substantial damage occurred to the right elevator of the B737-800.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N308DE
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-732
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29656
- Airframe hours
- 5,497
- Engines
- CFM International CFM56-7826/3, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM International CFM56-7826/3, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 10, 2011
- Departed
- TGU · Tegucigalpa
- Destination
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ATL · Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta
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
- N378DA
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-832
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30265
- Airframe hours
- 36,281
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 2,200 horsepower, turbo jetCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 2,200 horsepower, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 10, 2011
- Departed
- SDQ · Santo Domingo
- Destination
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ATL · Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta
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 N308DE
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- November 2, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,406 total · 4,841 in this make and model · 208 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N308DE
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 5, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,428 total · 2,589 in this make and model · 191 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N378DA
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 13, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,230 total · 7,438 in this make and model · 179 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N378DA
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 16, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 11,082 total · 4,351 in this make and model · 232 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- ATL
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.