ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 322081
| Date: | Tuesday 31 October 2006 |
| Time: | 18:30 |
| Type: |  Boeing 747-430 |
| Owner/operator: | Lufthansa |
| Registration: | D-ABVY |
| MSN: | 29869/1261 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2000 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 32204 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 312 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR) |
| Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Boeing 747-400, operated by Lufthansa as flight LH403, incurred substantial damage when its left wingtip impacted the right wingtip of a Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200 that was under tow, but stopped, at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR), New Jersey. None of the 18 crewmembers and 294 passengers onboard LH403 were injured. There was no one onboard the B757 and the tug driver and radio operator were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The accident occurred in the vicinity of the intersection of taxiways A and S. The B747 crew was not aware of the B757 in tow. The captain indicated that the accident occurred in an area where the B757 in tow was backlit by apron lights, and that the crew's attention was diverted to another B757 ahead that they had been instructed to follow. The B757 in tow, which had been taxiing ahead of the B747 prior to reaching the diverging taxiways, had received its taxi instructions prior to the B747 crew being on the frequency. Some taxiways were mislabeled on a Federal Aviation Administration airport diagram; however, the mislabeling did not affect the outcome of the accident.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the Boeing 747 crew to maintain an adequate visual lookout. Contributing to the accident were the night lighting conditions, the back lighting from the apron lights, and the crew's diverted attention in focusing on a Boeing 757 that they were instructed to follow."
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
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