Accident Boeing 757-222 N571UA,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 289245
 
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Date:Saturday 11 June 2011
Time:16:58 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic B752 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing 757-222
Owner/operator:United Airlines
Registration: N571UA
MSN: 26681/506
Year of manufacture:1992
Total airframe hrs:61787 hours
Engine model:P & W PW2040
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 190
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO) -   United States of America
Phase: Pushback / towing
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO)
Destination airport:Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
On June 16, 2011 at approximately 1758 pacific daylight time, United flight 818, a Boeing 757-200, registration N571UA, was substantially damaged during initial pushback from gate 73 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, California. There were no injuries to the 188 passengers and crew onboard. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from SFO to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois.

United representatives reported that normal passenger and crew boarding was accomplished using door 2L. The passenger loading bridge (PLB) operator stated she was in position at the loading bridge controls and was prepared to retract the bridge. She reported that the airplane door was closed and the loading bridge canopy was retracted. The PLB operator stated she was waiting for hand signal guidance from the ramp personnel to retract the bridge from the airplane. The PLB operator stated the signal to retract the bridge from the airplane was not received, however, the ramp personnel proceeded to push back the airplane. The ramp employee responsible for the airplane pushback reported that he heard the PLB bell ringing for about one minute, which he thought was enough time for the jetway to be cleared from the airplane. He reported that he then removed the chalks, received clearance from the flight crew, and then commenced to push back the airplane.

As a result of the impact with the jetway, the airplane received a 38 inch x 8.5 inch hole in the fuselage between Fuselage Station (FS) 490 and FS 528 and stringer S-17L and S-18L resulting in damage to frame assemblies and stringers in this area.

Probable Cause: The ramp personnel's failure to visually verify the position of the jetway before beginning the airplane pushback.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: DCA11CA073
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB DCA11CA073

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Oct-2022 11:33 ASN Update Bot Added

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