| Date: | Thursday 4 October 2012 |
| Time: | 20:10 |
| Type: |  Boeing 717-2BD |
| Owner/operator: | Southwest Airlines |
| Registration: | N894AT |
| MSN: | 55046/5137 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 24645 hours |
| Engine model: | BMW RR BR715 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 108 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Milwaukee-General Mitchell Airport, WI (MKE) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL) |
| Milwaukee-General Mitchell Airport, WI (MKE/KMKE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Boeing 717-200, N894AT, was struck by a catering truck while it was parked at the gate at Milwaukee-General Mitchell Airport, WI (MKE). There were no injuries to the deplaning 103 passengers and 5 flight crew. The airplane was substantially damaged.
The airplane was operated by Southwest Airlines as Flight WN-725 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, GA (ATL).
The airplane had arrived at gate C14 and passengers had started deplaning. A catering truck approached the right front service door. The driver said he attempted to stop, applying the brakes 3 times. The truck did not stop and struck the airplane. After the accident, the driver of the truck found a sleeve of hot/cold cups under the brake pedal. The damage to the airplane was confined to the area of the production splice, a joint where the forward portion of the fuselage is mated to the midsection fuselage. This included fuselage stations 207, 218, 228. 235, and 250.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An obstruction (a sleeve of cups) that lodged under the catering truck brake pedal, which prevented the driver from stopping the truck before it struck the parked airplane."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Images:
photo (c) NTSB; Milwaukee-General Mitchell Airport, WI (MKE/KMKE); October 2012; (publicdomain)
photo (c) NTSB; Milwaukee-General Mitchell Airport, WI (MKE/KMKE); October 2012; (publicdomain)
photo (c) Timo Blossfeld; Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, MN (MSP/KMSP); 04 October 2006
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:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation