Boeing 737-823 N945AN

Summary

On 21 February 2011 at about 01:24 local time, a Boeing 737-823 registered N945AN, operated by American Airlines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Southlake, Texas, United States. 145 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.

Date

21 February 2011 at 01:24

Classification

Incident

Location

Southlake, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Dallas-Fort Worth Int'l. (DFW)

Coordinates

32.8969, -97.0381

Aircraft

Boeing 737-823

Registration

N945AN

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

American Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Southlake → Palm Beach

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN11IA198

Nobody was injured.

The tractor driver’s failure to confirm that the tow bar head/handle was secured correctly to the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The Boeing 737-823 was being pushed back from its gate when the tow bar separated from the nose gear. The airplane rolled backwards and the right wing tip struck the nose of a parked DC-9. The tractor driver said the tow bar was already attached to the aircraft when he arrived. He said that he attached the other end of the tow bar to the tractor. The driver said that prior to push back, he checked the tow bar and ascertained that the bypass pin was in place and the tow bar wheels were fully retracted. Examination of the tow bar revealed no mechanical failures or abnormalities.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.