N922DL

Substantial
None

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO MD-88S/N: 49646

Accident Details

Date
Friday, October 7, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA12CA038
Location
Atlanta, GA
Event ID
20111018X03714
Coordinates
33.635276, -84.420280
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
81
Total Aboard
81

Probable Cause and Findings

The tug driver's inadequate control of the tug while maneuvering the airplane during pushback.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N922DL
Make
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO
Serial Number
49646
Engine Type
Turbo-jet
Year Built
1988
Model / ICAO
MD-88MD88
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Multi Engine
No. of Engines
2

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
DELTA AIR LINES INC
Address
1775 MH JACKSON SERVICE RD
DEPT 595 AIRCRAFT REGISTRATIONS
Status
Deregistered
City
ATLANTA
State / Zip Code
GA 30354
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the tug driver, during pushback of the airplane from the gate, he turned the airplane early in order avoid an airplane at an adjacent gate. He further stated that he did not straighten the tug in time and impacted the airplane which resulted in substantial damage to airplane's nose landing gear support beam and a puncture in the pressure vessel. According to the pilot of the flight, during pushback the airplane overshot the centerline and was being corrected back to the line when he observed the tug continue aft and then heard a metallic sound. The pilot further stated that the pushback did not appear to be too fast and there appeared to be only minor directional control problems with the tug until the impact.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA038