Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315
Friday, October 29, 2010 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was parked at the gate and about half of the passengers had deplaned. At that time, a ground service vehicle backed toward the airplane to service the aft lavatory. A guide man signaled the driver to stop the vehicle for a brake check, which he did. The guide man then signaled the driver to resume reversing the vehicle, and subsequently signaled the driver to stop in the service position, located about three feet from the airplane's fuselage. The driver stopped the vehicle; however, before he could put it into park, his foot slipped off the brake pedal and onto the accelerator, which resulted in the vehicle further backing into the airplane. During the impact, the airplane incurred a 12-inch by 6-inch tear in the fuselage, which included stringer damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The ground service vehicle driver's depressing of the accelerator rather than the brake pedal, resulting in a collision with the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fort Lauderdale
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33315
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 260422N
Event Location Longitude 0800910W
Event Location Airport Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KFLL
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 9
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KFLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 29.94
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 142
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27657
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 5 2010 12:34PM
User who most recently changed record coxp
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number C-FWAQ
NTSB Number ERA11LA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737
Aircraft Series Identifier 7CT
Aircraft Serial Number 32748
Certified Max Gross Weight 138300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 4
Passenger Seats 136
Total number of seats on the aircraft 142
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 29 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 28356
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name WestJet
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21 Aerial Place NE
Aircraft Owner City Calgary
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country CA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WestJet
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 21 Aerial Place NE
Operator City Calgary
Operator State --
Operator Country CA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYUL
Departure City Montreal
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time 1201
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KFLL
Destination City Fort Lauderdale
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 16 2010 10:10AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --