Boeing 737-322 N364UA

Summary

On 18 June 1998 at about 02:46 local time, a Boeing 737-322 registered N364UA was involved in an accident near Denver, Colorado, United States. 72 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 June 1998 at 02:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Denver, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Denver International (DEN)

Coordinates

39.8490, -104.7000

Aircraft

Boeing 737-322

Registration

N364UA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Ontario

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

FTW98FA273

Injuries not recorded.

Inadequate visual lookout by ground personnel (tug operator). Factors include failure of the airline to provide proper assistance (wing walkers) to the tug operator, and inadequate pushback procedures by the airline; inattention of the catering truck driver, and failure of the flight crew to illuminate the rotating beacon prior to or during pushback.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The catering truck driver parked directly behind the airplane, awaiting the arrival of another flight at an adjacent gate. He set the parking brake, turned off the engine, but left the headlights on. He said he was not concerned about parking behind the airplane because the jetway was still in position, the airplane's rotating beacon was not flashing, and another catering truck was servicing the coach section. The other truck then moved around to the front of the airplane to service the first class section. After baggage had been loaded in the forward cargo bin, the belt loader was backed away from the airplane. Normally, the belt loader would then be positioned on the vehicle service road to warn traffic that an airplane was being pushed back. This was not possible because the belt loader was blocked by the catering truck that had backed away from the airplane. The tug operator had made a previous walk-around inspection of the airplane and observed no hazards. He said that prior to pushback, he looked under the airplane one more time and saw no obstacles. He said he did not see the parked catering truck. As the catering truck was backing away from the airplane, pushback began and the airplane collided with the parked catering truck.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.