- Date
- 2006-02-26, about 19:15 local, 00:15 UTC
- Location
- Boston, MA, USA
- Airport
- General Edward Lawrence Logan (BOS)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-232
- Flight
- Scheduled Domestic Passenger, BOS → RSW
- Injuries
- None. 146 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Investigation
- Completed · DirectorApprovedBriefFinal report
Probable Cause
The deice vehicle driver's failure to maintain clearance from a standing airplane, which resulted in a collision between the deice vehicle and left elevator of the airplane.
Analysis
The driver of a deice vehicle, and a ground employee in the bucket of the deice vehicle, were spraying the accident airplane. At the completion of the deice operation, the driver of the deice vehicle began to drive away from the airplane. The ground employee in the bucket of the deice vehicle then observed ice accumulation on the vertical stabilizer. As the driver of the deice vehicle initiated a turn back toward the airplane, the boom of the deice vehicle struck the airplane, resulting in substantial damage to the left elevator.
Factual Information
On February 25, 2006, about 1915 eastern standard time, a Boeing 757-232, N697DL, operated by Delta Air Lines Inc., as flight 2030, was substantially damaged, when it was struck by a ground vehicle, while standing near gate A16 at General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts. There were no injuries to the 2 certificated airline transport pilots, 4 flight attendants, and 140 passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned flight to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), Fort Myers, Florida. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the air carrier flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. The airplane had been pushed back about 5 feet from the gate, and was being deiced. According to the driver of a deice vehicle, he and a ground employee in the bucket of the deice vehicle, were spraying the accident airplane. At the completion of the deice operation, the driver of the deice vehicle began to drive away from the airplane. The ground employee in the bucket of the deice vehicle then observed ice accumulation on the vertical stabilizer. As the driver of the deice vehicle initiated a turn back toward the airplane, the boom of the deice vehicle struck the airplane, resulting in substantial damage to the left elevator. The reported weather at BOS, at 1854, was: wind from 130 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 9 miles; overcast ceiling at 1,200 feet; temperature 27 degrees F; dew point 23 degrees F; altimeter 29.82 inches Hg.
