Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Denver Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Denver, Colorado 80249
Friday, March 5, 2004 20:25 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The captain on the United A320 said that during their pushback, a TED A320 was being pushed back at an angle from its gate toward their position. The captain said he relayed his concern to the ground crew, but did not receive a clear response. As the TED A320 approached, two persons from their push crew ran out, "apparently to get a better view. Both airplanes were finally stopped in close proximity. We were positioned to the east of our push line, toward the other aircraft." The captain said that he requested that his tug remain in place in case they had to return to the gate for a sick passenger. When it was determined the passenger could fly, they started engines and released the pushback crew. He said the crew disconnected and they received a salute and a release from guidance for a left turn out. The captain said the TED A320 was still connected to its tug and one of its ground crew was standing to the left front of the airplane facing aft. "He was looking toward us and holding his right hand overhead, and with his left arm out and slightly raised, indicating the wingtip clearance distance." The captain said, "I taxied slowly forward at idle thrust and eased toward the left." After a short distance, the wingtips collided causing minor damage to both airplanes. The United first officer said both he and the captain looked at a ground crew member standing in front and between the two airplanes, looking at us with wand raised and other arm held out horizontally indicating wing clearance. I called for taxi and we were cleared for a left turn out. With wing man guidance and a visual check I told the captain we were cleared on the right. We started to move and I glanced forward. When I looked back out to the right, the wing walker was gone, and then the wingtips made contact. One of the ground crew members on the TED A320 said he was wing walking for the airplane on the first officer's side. Another ground crew member was on the captain's side of the TED A320. The first ground crew member said the other ground crew member stopped the pushback. He said he went around to see what was happening. As he did, the first ground crew member saw the wings of the two airplanes "about 20 to 30 feet apart." The first ground crew member said he looked at the first officer on the United A320 and gave him "the hold sign." He said he then went to the tug operator to discuss the position of the airplane. As he was talking with the tug operator, the United A320 proceeded to move and clipped the wing of the TED A320. United Airlines pushback procedures for Gates A46 and A48 at the Denver International Airport cited, "The coordination of the pushback must include ... verbal agreement between gate crews ... on which aircraft is being moved first, [and] continual visual observance of the clearance between aircraft ..."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the flight crew’s failure to maintain clearance from the other airplane and the ground crews' failure to follow proper pushback procedures. Factors contributing to the incident were the flight crew’s inadequate visual lookout, the other airplane ground crew's confusing visual signals to the flight crew, and the flight crew’s inability to understand the signals being given to them.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 3/5/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2025 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Denver |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80249 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 395131N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044001W |
| Event Location Airport | DENVER INTL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DEN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 5431 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DEN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5431 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.63 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 5273 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | 209 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16496 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 5 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2040 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver, Colorado FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N467UA | N482UA |
| NTSB Number | DEN04IA050A | DEN04IA050B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes | Yes |
| Damage | Minor | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Airbus Industrie | Airbus Industrie |
| Aircraft Model | A320-232 | A320-232 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1359 | 1584 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 169750 | 169750 |
| 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 | 145 | 145 |
| Number of Engines | 2 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 9 2002 12:00AM | May 15 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6554 | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 10929 | -- |
| ELT Installed | No | No |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | United Air Lines, Incorporated | Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trust |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1200 E Algonquin Road | 299 S. Main Street, 12th FL |
| Aircraft Owner City | Elk Grove Village | Salt Lake City |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60007 | 84111 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| 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 | UALA | UALA |
| 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 | Scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DEN | DEN |
| Departure City | Denver | Denver |
| Departure State | CO | CO |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 2025 | 2025 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PHX | ONT |
| Destination City | Phoenix | Ontario |
| Destination State | AZ | CA |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - to takeoff | Standing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2004 9:43AM | Aug 25 2004 9:43AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA | NA |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |