Denver Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80239
Thursday, January 19, 2006 11:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was parked at the remote deicing pad and type 4 deicing fluid was being applied to the right rear quadrant and the right wing of the airplane using a deicing truck with a boom. The truck's boom was raised at the time. The driver maneuvered the vehicle too close to the right wing trailing edge at the aileron resulting in the mid-section of the boom coming in contact with the wing. The boom operator cleared the wing for movement when she was not actually clear. The airplane and truck sustained minor damage. An operational inspection of the truck revealed no anomalies. The routine aviation weather report reported visibility, 1/2 statute miles, light snow, and mist.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the truck driver's failure to maintain clearance from the airplane and the boom operator's failure to adequately clear the boom from the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the low visibility due to snow and mist.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/19/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80239
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 395130N
Event Location Longitude 1044000W
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5431
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1117 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
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 184
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19729
NTSB Notification Source United Airlines, Inc.
NTSB Notification Date Jan 19 2006 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 Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver FAA Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N798UA
NTSB Number DEN06IA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model B777-200B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 26928
Certified Max Gross Weight 640000
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 146
Airframe Hours 34337
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name United Airlines
Aircraft Owner Street Address WHQFS P.O. Box 66100
Aircraft Owner City Chicago
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
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 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
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 DEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1038
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City Chicago
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing - engine(s) operating
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 29 2006 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
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 --