Theodore Francis Green State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Providence, Rhode Island 02904
Monday, December 20, 2004 6:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was being pushed back by a tug, on an icy ramp. During the push-back, the tug slid left on a patch of ice, and struck the airplane's right side, damaging the nose landing gear, three longerons, and two frames. As the tug began to lose control, the driver exited the vehicle before impact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The vehicle driver's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a collision with the airplane during push-back. A factor was the icy ramp area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 620
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Providence
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02904
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414326N
Event Location Longitude 0712542W
Event Location Airport Theodore Francis Green State
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 55
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 551 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PVD
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.56
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 87
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18524
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Dec 20 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2005 6:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boston, MA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N402A
NTSB Number NYC05LA038
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-82
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 49313
Certified Max Gross Weight 150000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 137
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 56639
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name American Airlines Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City DFW Airport
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code AALA
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 PVD
Departure City Providence
Departure State RI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City Chicago
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - pushback/tow
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2005 1:25PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --