Narrative:
A CRJ-900ER airplane, N943LR, collided with a tug during pushback from the gate at San Antonio International Airport, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure and internal damage to nose landing gear. The four flight crewmembers and passengers on-board were not injured.
The first officer reported the tug driver did not have an operable headset and the pushback was initiated using hand signals. The airplane was positioned on the ramp at a 90-degree angle to the gate. The tug driver stated after turning the airplane onto the taxiway he "reversed back," pulling the airplane forward. The tug stopped perpendicular to the left nose of the airplane, but the airplane continued to roll forward while still attached to the tow bar. The airplane rolled into the tug impacting the left side of the fuselage. Examination revealed the tow bar shear pin had failed, but the investigation could not determine if the shear pin failed prior to or during the pushback process.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Failure of the tow bar shear pin, which resulted in the tug operators loss of control of the airplane during pushback operations. Contributing to the accident was the tug operators inability to communicate to the flight crew to apply the airplanes brakes."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 9 August 2014 |
| Time: | 07:34 |
| Type: |  Canadair CL-600-2D24 Regional Jet CRJ-900ER |
| Operator: | Mesa Airlines |
| On behalf of: | US Airways |
| Registration: | N943LR |
| MSN: | 15068 |
| First flight: | 2006 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 12283 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF34-8C5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 76 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 80 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Pushback / towing (PBT) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT), United States of America |
| Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ (PHX/KPHX), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | US2763 |
A CRJ-900ER airplane, N943LR, collided with a tug during pushback from the gate at San Antonio International Airport, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure and internal damage to nose landing gear. The four flight crewmembers and passengers on-board were not injured.
The first officer reported the tug driver did not have an operable headset and the pushback was initiated using hand signals. The airplane was positioned on the ramp at a 90-degree angle to the gate. The tug driver stated after turning the airplane onto the taxiway he "reversed back," pulling the airplane forward. The tug stopped perpendicular to the left nose of the airplane, but the airplane continued to roll forward while still attached to the tow bar. The airplane rolled into the tug impacting the left side of the fuselage. Examination revealed the tow bar shear pin had failed, but the investigation could not determine if the shear pin failed prior to or during the pushback process.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Failure of the tow bar shear pin, which resulted in the tug operators loss of control of the airplane during pushback operations. Contributing to the accident was the tug operators inability to communicate to the flight crew to apply the airplanes brakes."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Damaged on the ground
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from San Antonio International Airport, TX to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ as the crow flies is 1346 km (841 miles).
Distance from San Antonio International Airport, TX to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ as the crow flies is 1346 km (841 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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