Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Memphis International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Memphis, Tennessee 38116
Wednesday, December 14, 2005 2:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight crew stated that as the number 3 engine was being started, the captain mentioned that the tug was out of position for a normal pushback. As the airplane was being pushed back the flight crew heard and felt a few rough jolts from the nose wheel area. When the airplane stopped moving, the wing-walker gave the flight crew the emergency stop signal and the captain set the parking brake. The tug driver stated that during the pushback they did not notice anything unusual. The tug driver stated while towing the airplane forward and looking back to align the airplane with the taxiway, she heard the wing walker yell as the airplane rolled forward, and collide with the tug. The wing-walkers stated that it was raining as pushback procedure was initiated, and they noted a smell of glycol. The tug appeared to lose traction as the airplane moved passed the main landing gear chocks. The tug driver regained control of the tug, and continued the push back. As the tug operator began to tow the airplane forward, the wing-walker noticed that the airplane continued to roll forward when the tug stopped. The airplane collided with the tug and stopped with the tug on the right underside of the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that the hull of the airplane had a 5-foot tear on the underside of the belly. Further examination of the belly revealed two ribs and five stringers were damaged. Examination of the tow bar revealed the shear pin of the hitch head was sheered off. Metallurgical examination of the shank of the pin revealed that the pin was separated in two locations. Both fractures consisted of a flat surface displaying a small crescent shape with the remaining surface displaying a grainy texture. The features are typical of what is termed "double shear". Review of records showed that the tow bar was last inspected on September 21, 2005, and the shear pin was replaced on November 30, 2005.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper towing of the airplane by the tug operator which resulted in the shearing of the towbar shear pin and subsequent collision of the airplane and tug.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/14/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 230 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Memphis |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38116 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 350219N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0895822W |
| Event Location Airport | Memphis International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MEM |
| 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 | 250 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 253 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MEM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 250 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| 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) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 1 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19714 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 13 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 30 2006 1:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Memphis FSDO-25 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N213FE |
| NTSB Number | ATL06LA024 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Boeing |
| Aircraft Model | 727-2S2F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22935 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 204000 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 3 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 18 |
| Airframe Hours | 23717 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Federal Express Corp. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3610 Hacks Cross Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Memphis |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38125 |
| 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 | FDEA |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MEM |
| Departure City | Memphis |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 230 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OKC |
| Destination City | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| Destination State | OK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - pushback/tow |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 21 2008 4:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |