- Date
- October 24, 1985, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oakland, CA
- Injuries
- 90 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Pushback/towing
- Aircraft
- N6815ABoeing 727-200
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 24989
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On October 24, 1985, an American airlines 727 collided with a parked united airlines 727 during a power back operation at Oakland, CA. IMC existed at the time with visibility limited to 0 ft due to fog. The aa ac sustained minor damage to its left wing and the ua ac recieved substantial damage to its tr wg. Aa had two wing walkers and a lead walker positioned at the nose of the aa ac. The lead person stated her goggles had fogged over and couldn't clearly see the other wing walkers. Addtionally, the wands used by lead and the lt wing walker were inoperative. According to other witnesses, lead did not see the stop signal given by the left wing walker. Lead said she thought there was sufficient clearance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6815A
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-9, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Transport
- Destination
- Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- OAK · Oakland
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,300 total · 600 in this make and model · 160 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OAK