Airbus A320-232 N467UA
6 March 2004 · Denver, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 6 March 2004 at about 03:25 local time, a Airbus A320-232 registered N467UA was involved in an incident near Denver, Colorado, United States. 209 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 03:25
- Classification
- Incident
- Location
- Denver, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Denver Intl (DEN)
- Coordinates
- 39.8586, -104.6669
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320-232
- Registration
- N467UA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Denver → Phoenix
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night
- NTSB number
- DEN04IA050
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 209 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 209 |
Probable cause
the flight crew’s failure to maintain clearance from the other airplane and the ground crews' failure to follow proper pushback procedures. Factors contributing to the incident were the flight crew’s inadequate visual lookout, the other airplane ground crew's confusing visual signals to the flight crew, and the flight crew’s inability to understand the signals being given to them.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The captain on the United A320 said that during their pushback, a TED A320 was being pushed back at an angle from its gate toward their position. The captain said he relayed his concern to the ground crew, but did not receive a clear response. As the TED A320 approached, two persons from their push crew ran out, "apparently to get a better view. Both airplanes were finally stopped in close proximity. We were positioned to the east of our push line, toward the other aircraft." The captain said that he requested that his tug remain in place in case they had to return to the gate for a sick passenger. When it was determined the passenger could fly, they started engines and released the pushback crew. He said the crew disconnected and they received a salute and a release from guidance for a left turn out. The captain said the TED A320 was still connected to its tug and one of its ground crew was standing to the left front of the airplane facing aft. "He was looking toward us and holding his right hand overhead, and with his left arm out and slightly raised, indicating the wingtip clearance distance." The captain said, "I taxied slowly forward at idle thrust and eased toward the left." After a short distance, the wingtips collided causing minor damage to both airplanes. The United first officer said both he and the captain looked at a ground crew member standing in front and between the two airplanes, looking at us with wand raised and other arm held out horizontally indicating wing clearance. I called for taxi and we were cleared for a left turn out. With wing man guidance and a visual check I told the captain we were cleared on the right. We started to move and I glanced forward. When I looked back out to the right, the wing walker was gone, and then the wingtips made contact. One of the ground crew members on the TED A320 said he was wing walking for the airplane on the first officer's side. Another ground crew member was on the captain's side of the TED A320. The first ground crew member said the other ground crew member stopped the pushback. He said he went around to see what was happening. As he did, the first ground crew member saw the wings of the two airplanes "about 20 to 30 feet apart." The first ground crew member said he looked at the first officer on the United A320 and gave him "the hold sign." He said he then went to the tug operator to discuss the position of the airplane. As he was talking with the tug operator, the United A320 proceeded to move and clipped the wing of the TED A320. United Airlines pushback procedures for Gates A46 and A48 at the Denver International Airport cited, "The coordination of the pushback must include ... verbal agreement between gate crews ... on which aircraft is being moved first, [and] continual visual observance of the clearance between aircraft ..."
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-232 | N467UA | - | Minor |
| Airbus A320-232 | N482UA | - | Minor |
Other Airbus A320 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jan 2004 | Airbus A320-214 | Paris, France | Lotus Air | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Airbus A320-233 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Ryan International Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 22 Sep 2005 | Airbus A320 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Jet Blue Airways, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 2003 | Airbus A320-322 | Birmingham, United Kingdom | British Airways | Unknown | - |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Airbus A320-232 | Denver, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 2003 | Airbus A320-321 | Payson, Arizona, United States | America West Airlines, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2004 | Gates Learjet 25B | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | American Jets, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 2004 | Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 | Englewood, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Dec 2004 | Piper J3C-65 | Monte Vista, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Bellanca 14-19-3A | Estes Park, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Cessna 172P | Loveland, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 2004 | Dassault DA-20 FALCON JET | Pueblo, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |