Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The maintenance truck driver's failure to give way to the airplane that resulted in the truck colliding with the taxiing aircraft.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On May 7, 2018, at approximately 0010 am eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 6263, a B737-800, N8655D, was struck by a Southwest Airlines maintenance truck as the aircraft was being marshaled into its gate at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (KBWI), Baltimore, Maryland. There were no injuries to the 179 passengers and crewmembers onboard and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to KBWI.
According to the flight crew, they had cleared the safety zone prior to joining the J-line. According to ground witnesses, the maintenance vehicle appeared to initially slow down for the airplane, but then appeared to increase its speed to pass in front of the airplane before it could enter the gate. The airplane sustained damage to the left and right nose landing gear doors, nose landing gear trunnion fittings, and to the left-hand forward fuselage skin and stringers.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DCA18CA169