Washington-Dulles Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dulles, Virginia 20166
Saturday, June 17, 2006 15:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was at the gate with the crew and passengers onboard, the parking brake was set, and the loading bridge was retracted. A ramp employee, operating a tractor with a baggage cart in tow, was on the left side of the airplane when a pushback guideman on the right side of the airplane signaled that he needed hand wands for the pushback. Forgetting he had a baggage cart in tow, the driver drove under the fuselage to reach the guideman. In the process, the baggage cart impacted the underside of the fuselage about 25 feet aft of the nose and 17 feet in front of the wings. The driver subsequently stated to company officials that he did not follow standard operating procedures when he drove under the fuselage, and that, while trying to ensure an on-time departure, he forgot he had the baggage cart attached to the tractor. The driver was current on all required training.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The driver's failure to follow company standard operating procedures. A factor was the driver's diverted attention to an on-time departure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Dulles
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20166
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385642N
Event Location Longitude 0772724W
Event Location Airport Washington-Dulles
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IAD
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1452 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 306
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
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 183
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21140
NTSB Notification Source UA Airlines
NTSB Notification Date Jun 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 Mar 26 2007 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dulles

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N653UA
NTSB Number NYC06LA151
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 767-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25391
Certified Max Gross Weight 361000
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 205
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 60261
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIR LINES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code IAD
Departure City Sterling
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
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) not operating
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2007 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record ANDJ
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 --