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 -- --