Summary
On August 05, 2016, a Boeing 737 3H4 (N368SW) was involved in an incident near Baltimore, MD. All 134 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The tug operators excessive speed during pushback.
On August 4, 2016 at 9:02pm eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 149, a Boeing 737, N368SW, experienced a failure of the nose landing gear during pushback from the gate at the Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI), Baltimore, Maryland. The aircraft was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the 6 crewmembers or 129 passengers but the airplane was substantially damaged.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DCA16CA207. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N368SW.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the tug operators excessive speed during pushback.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 4, 2016 at 9:02pm eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 149, a Boeing 737, N368SW, experienced a failure of the nose landing gear during pushback from the gate at the Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI), Baltimore, Maryland. The aircraft was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the 6 crewmembers or 129 passengers but the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was being operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight to Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, Georgia.
According to the flight crew, as the pushback tug was maneuvering the aircraft off the gate, the flight crew felt the front of the airplane bounce up and down, and then came to rest on the nose. The passengers were deplaned via air stairs.
The nose gear collapsed in a forward direction, resulting in substantial damage to the gear structure, the nose gear well, and crushing the forward bulkhead. An airport surveillance camera video was obtained, which showed the tug pushing the aircraft at approximately 6 knots. The tug specifications indicate that speed could be achieved only in second gear or higher. The airline general operating manual specifies that pushback must be conducted in low or first gear, and at a walking speed.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DCA16CA207