Boeing 727-200 N262FE

Summary

On 3 January 2002 at about 02:20 local time, a Boeing 727-200 registered N262FE was involved in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina, United States. 3 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

3 January 2002 at 02:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Greer-Greenville Spartanburg (GSP)

Coordinates

34.8858, -82.2175

Aircraft

Boeing 727-200

Registration

N262FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Memphis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ATL02LA029

Nobody was injured.

The tug driver's failure to maintain control of the airplane during pushback resulting in the tug colliding with the airplane. A factor was ice on the ramp.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the Captain, during the first phase of pushback, everything appeared normal. The first and second officers were completing the engine start check and the airplane was being pushed back from the gate when the airplane came to a stop. The tug operator stated that during pushback, the airplane nose wheel hit a patch of ice. As he applies brakes to stop the tug, the airplane began to slide. Unable to stop the movement, the tug driver jumped from the tug to avoid getting caught between the tug and airplane. The tug came to rest lodged under the fuselage of the airplane creating a 10-inch by 14-inch hole in the underside of the fuselage breaking two stringers.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.