Logan Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boston, Massachusetts 02128
Friday, March 24, 2000 14:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The MD-88 was being pushed back toward a Boeing 727. There were three ground walkers and a tug driver. The three ground walkers all signaled for the tug driver to stop. However, the tug driver reported that he was unable to stop prior to collision without jamming on the brakes. He elected to make a controlled stop and the elevator of the MD-88 struck the rudder of the Boeing 727.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the ground pushback crew to maintain an adequate clearance from a nearby airplane during pushback.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/24/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BOSTON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02128
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOGAN INT'L AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BOS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BOS
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 202
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1625
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N944DL N297WA
NTSB Number NYC00IA100A NYC00IA100B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas Boeing
Aircraft Model MD-88 727-247
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-88 727-247
Aircraft Serial Number 49817 22534
Certified Max Gross Weight 160500 190500
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 149 156
Number of Engines 2 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 22 2000 12:00AM Mar 29 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIR LINES DELTA AIR LINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTL ARPT HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTL ARPT
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320 30320
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DALA DALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code BOS BOS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420 0
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code ATL JFK
Destination City ATLANTA JAMAICA
Destination State GA NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --