# NTSB NYC00LA267: Boeing 737-49R, N461PR, Flushing, NY, September 16, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 2000, 20:45 local (Sep 16, 2000, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Flushing, NY - Location: 40.7772° N, 73.8726° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAGUARDIA (LGA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7772&lon=-73.8726&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Pushback/towing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/200) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 58 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 8, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50347 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA267 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50347/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA267 ## Probable cause The tug operator's inadequate visual lookout. A factor in this accident was the night light condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - pushback/tow - light condition - night (contributing factor) - visual lookout - inadequate, ground personnel (cause) ## Analysis The airplane was being pushed back at night by three ground crew employees when it's rudder struck a parked airplane. Both 'wing walkers' were equipped with night wands, and had signaled the tug driver to stop prior to the accident. One wing walker stated he noticed that the airplane was getting 'very close' to the MD-80, and signaled the tug operator to stop 'several times' before the accident. The tug operator stated, '...one of the wing walkers signaled me to stop, but I was looking at the other wing walker. He told me to stop, but when I hit the brake it was too late....' The tug operator had been hired and began performing airplane pushbacks in December 1998. The weather reported about the time of the pushback, included: a visibility of 10 statue miles, and scattered clouds at 8, 500 feet msl. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2000, about 2045 Eastern Daylight Time, a Boeing 737-49R, N461PR, operated by Pro Air Inc., as flight 325, was substantially damaged during pushback for taxi at the La Guardia Airport (LGA), Flushing, New York. The 2 flight crewmembers, 3 flight attendants, and 53 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for the Detroit City Airport, Detroit, Michigan. The scheduled passenger flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane was being pushed back from gate C-4, by three Signature Flight Support ground crew employees. During the pushback, the airplane's rudder struck an MD-80, which was parked at a gate across from N461PR. According to a Signature Flight Support representative, both "wing walkers" were equipped with night wands, and had signaled the tug driver to stop prior to the accident. One wing walker stated he noticed that the airplane was getting "very close" to the MD-80, and signaled the tug operator to stop "several times" before the accident. The tug operator stated, "...one of the wing walkers signaled me to stop, but I was looking at the other wing walker. He told me to stop, but when I hit the brake it was too late...." According to a Signature Flight Support manager, the tug operator had been hired and began performing airplane pushbacks in December 1998. The weather reported at LGA, at 2051, included: a visibility of 10 statue miles, and scattered clouds at 8, 500 feet msl. ## Aircraft - Registration: N461PR (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Boeing 737-49R - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28882 - Airframe hours: 9087 - Engines: Cfm CFM56-3C1 23500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Pro Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 29, 2000 - Departed: LGA - Destination: DET, DETROIT, MI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LGA, La Guardia ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,694 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 330° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LGA ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000915013959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000915013959A), Sep 15, 2000: Boeing 73749R, New York, NY, No damage. (-23) During push back of a/c for departure by contract ground handlers. (Signature aviation services) the trailing edge of the rudder on pro air B737-400… 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.