Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Denver International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Denver, Colorado 80249
Tuesady, May 17, 2005 8:56 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The two Boeing 737 company aircraft were involved in a ground collision while on the ramp. The first airplane, N305UA, was pushed straight back from its gate via a tug and wing walker. The airplane was disconnected from the tug and its engines were running. The pilots received hand signals from the tug operator releasing them from his guidance. The second airplane, N373UA, was being pushed back an adjacent gate via a tug and wing walker. The wing walker, who was positioned at the front of the right wing, stopped the pushback. The wing walker and tug operator had a brief discussion which resulted in the tug operator pulling the aircraft back toward the gate. The pilots of the first airplane visually cleared the area and began to taxi by turning to the west. During the turn, the left wing tip of the first airplane struck the right wing tip of the second company airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance resulting in the left wing of the aircraft striking the right wing of an adjacent aircraft. A factor in this incident was the improper procedure performed by the ground crew (of the second aircraft involved).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 5/17/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 856 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Denver |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80249 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 395142N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044023W |
| Event Location Airport | Denver International Airport |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5431 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DEN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5431 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 13000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.51 |
| 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 | 187 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18444 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Northwest Mountain Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 17 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| 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 | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver, Colorado |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N305UA | N373UA |
| NTSB Number | DEN05IA076A | DEN05IA076B |
| 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? | No | No |
| Damage | Minor | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Boeing | Boeing |
| Aircraft Model | 737-322 | 737-322 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 23666 | 24638 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 130000 | 130000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 127 | 125 |
| 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 | -- | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 53316 | 45202 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | -- |
| ELT Activated | No | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | -- |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | United Air Lines | Wilmington Trust Co. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File | RODNEY SQ N CORP TRUST ADMINISTRATION |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chicago | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60666 | 19890 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | -- | On File |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- | On File |
| Operator City | -- | Chicago |
| Operator State | -- | IL |
| Operator Country | -- | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- | 60666 |
| 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 | 856 | 856 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SJC | MSP |
| Destination City | San Jose | Minneapolis |
| Destination State | CA | MN |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - to takeoff | Taxi - pushback/tow |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2005 12:35PM | Jul 29 2005 12:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA | NA |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |