ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 320035
| Date: | Thursday 4 August 2016 |
| Time: | 21:02 |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-3H4 (WL) |
| Owner/operator: | Southwest Airlines |
| Registration: | N368SW |
| MSN: | 26579/2473 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1993 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 72354 hours |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-3B1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 135 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Pushback / towing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI) |
| Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Southwest Airlines flight 149, a Boeing 737-300, N368SW, experienced a failure of the nose landing gear during pushback from the gate at the Baltimore/Washington-Thurgood Marshall International Airport, Maryland, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the 6 crewmembers or 129 passengers but the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the flight crew, as the pushback tug was maneuvering the aircraft off the gate, the flight crew felt the front of the airplane bounce up and down, and then came to rest on the nose. The passengers were deplaned via air stairs.
The nose gear collapsed in a forward direction, resulting in substantial damage to the gear structure, the nose gear well, and crushing the forward bulkhead. An airport surveillance camera video was obtained, which showed the tug pushing the aircraft at approximately 6 knots. The tug specifications indicate that speed could be achieved only in second gear or higher. The airline general operating manual specifies that pushback must be conducted in low or first gear, and at a walking speed.
As a result of the damage sustained, retirement of the aircraft was moved forward.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The tug operators excessive speed during pushback."
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Images:
photo (c) Werner Fischdick; Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI); 20 October 2016
photo (c) Tomás Del Coro; Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS); 04 April 2013; (CC:by-sa)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation