Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Indianapolis Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Indianapolis, Indiana 46241
Thursday, January 16, 2003 8:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane sustained minor damage when it struck a deicing truck as it was being towed back to the gate. No injuries occurred. The operator reported, "The de-ice truck had re-positioned itself off of the left wing and forward, waiting to de-ice another aircraft. The left wing walker left his post upon request of the tug driver to scrape the snow off the lead in line with his boot. The aircraft impacted the de-ice truck, dragging it approximately 15 feet. The truck went up on two wheels and was pinned at a 45-degree angle. The tow was stopped and appropriate calls made." Visibility was 1 and 1/2 statute mile and present weather was light snow and mist. The operator's procedures current at the time of the accident stated, "3. The tow tug operator will: a. Ascertain exactly where the aircraft is to be towed and positioned, and know (or view) the precise route to be taken. ... d. Undertake or continue a towing/pushing procedure only when visual contact with all necessary guidemen is possible. Obstructed vision is the 'signal' to stop and re-establish the necessary guidemen contacts."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The ground tow personnel not maintaining clearance from the de-icing vehicle during the tow back to the gate. Factors were the de-icing vehicle that parked by the airplane's left wing, the ground personnel not following the operator's towing procedures/directives.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 1/16/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Indianapolis |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 46241 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 394302N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0861740W |
| Event Location Airport | INDIANAPOLIS INTL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IND |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 797 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 755 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IND |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 797 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KIND 161221Z 13005KT 2SM -SN BR BKN023 OVC04 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 79 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15278 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 16 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2004 3:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Indianapolis FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N303TZ |
| NTSB Number | CHI03IA055 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Boeing |
| Aircraft Model | 737-83N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28648 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 174700 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 185 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 4 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1694 |
| Airframe Hours | 3076 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Trustee |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 299 South Main Street MAC V 1228-120 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Salt Lake |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84111 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AMERICAN TRANS AIR INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7337 West Washington Street |
| Operator City | Indianapolis |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 46231 |
| Operator Code | AMTA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | IND |
| Departure City | Indianapolis |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 840 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MDW |
| Destination City | CHICAGO |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - pushback/tow |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2004 11:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |