- Date
- December 20, 2004, 06:20 local (11:20 UTC)
- Place
- Providence, RI
- Injuries
- 87 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Pushback/towing
- Aircraft
- N402AMcDonnell Douglas MD-82
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20041220033499A
- Case key
- 60812
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 vehicle driver's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a collision with the airplane during push-back. A factor was the icy ramp area.
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
The airplane was being pushed back by a tug, on an icy ramp. During the push-back, the tug slid left on a patch of ice, and struck the airplane's right side, damaging the nose landing gear, three longerons, and two frames. As the tug began to lose control, the driver exited the vehicle before impact.
Factual narrative
On December 20, 2004, about 0620 eastern standard time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N402A, operated by American Airlines Inc., as flight 763, was substantially damaged during push-back at Theodore Francis Green State Airport (PVD), Providence, Rhode Island. The 2 certificated airline transport pilots, 3 cabin attendants, and 82 passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned flight to Chicago, Illinois. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the air carrier flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
The flight crew reported that the airplane was being pushed by a tug, on an icy ramp. During the push-back, the tug slid left on a patch of ice, and struck the airplane's right side, damaging the nose landing gear, three longerons, and two frames.
The driver of the tug stated that during push-back, he initiated a slight turn and the airplane began to move toward the tug. The driver then exited the vehicle before the impact.
The reported weather at PVD, at 0551, was: wind from 330 degrees at 14 knots; visibility 9 miles in light snow; broken ceiling at 1,700 feet; overcast ceiling at 2,100 feet; temperature 25 degrees F; dew point 22 degrees F; altimeter 29.56 inches Hg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N402A
- Reported as
- McDonnell Douglas MD-82
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49313
- Airframe hours
- 56,639
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C, 21,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanPratt & Whitney JT8D-217C, 21,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- American Airlines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 1, 2004 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- PVD · Providence, RI
- Destination
- ORD · Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PVD · Theodore Francis Green State
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,391 total · 2,937 in this make and model · 3,563 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,269 total · 874 in this make and model · 2,074 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.55 inHg
- Observed at
- PVD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.