Boeing 727-223 N845AA

Summary

On 6 January 1998 at about 17:10 local time, a Boeing 727-223 registered N845AA was involved in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. 115 people were on board. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 January 1998 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Philadelphia Intl (PHL)

Coordinates

39.8908, -75.2296

Aircraft

Boeing 727-223

Registration

N845AA

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Dallas/Ft Worth

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD98LA021

Injuries not recorded.

failure of the tug driver to see-and-avoid the taxiing airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had just been pushed back from the gate. As the flight crew were taxiing in a non-movement area, the airplane and a tug collided. The captain felt the impact, but thought the airplane had experienced a blown tire. Neither he nor any of the cockpit crew saw the tug before impact. All witnesses stated that the tug did not brake or swerve prior to the collision. Examination of the damaged tug and its maintenance forms revealed no mechanical problems. No deficiencies were found in the driver's training jacket. After a 2 week vacation, this was the driver's first day back on the job. He was driving the tug since 0430, without any reported mechanical problems. The emergency room doctor stated that there was no symptoms detected of any medical events which could have caused the driver to lose consciousness. The driver recalled that 'while driving the tug, he dropped his water container, and the last thing he could remember was reaching down for it.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.