Boeing 767-300 N653UA

Summary

On 17 June 2006 at about 19:25 local time, a Boeing 767-300 registered N653UA was involved in an accident near Dulles, Virginia, United States. 183 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 June 2006 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Dulles, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Washington-Dulles (IAD)

Coordinates

38.9450, -77.4567

Aircraft

Boeing 767-300

Registration

N653UA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sterling → Chicago

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC06LA151

Nobody was injured.

The driver's failure to follow company standard operating procedures. A factor was the driver's diverted attention to an on-time departure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was at the gate with the crew and passengers onboard, the parking brake was set, and the loading bridge was retracted. A ramp employee, operating a tractor with a baggage cart in tow, was on the left side of the airplane when a pushback guideman on the right side of the airplane signaled that he needed hand wands for the pushback. Forgetting he had a baggage cart in tow, the driver drove under the fuselage to reach the guideman. In the process, the baggage cart impacted the underside of the fuselage about 25 feet aft of the nose and 17 feet in front of the wings. The driver subsequently stated to company officials that he did not follow standard operating procedures when he drove under the fuselage, and that, while trying to ensure an on-time departure, he forgot he had the baggage cart attached to the tractor. The driver was current on all required training.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.