On August 6, 1992, a Boeing 737-200 (registration N9010U) operated by United Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near San Francisco, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The disconnect of the towbar during pushback, which allowed the aircraft to roll backward, leading to an emergency stop that caused the cabin crew member to fall and sustain injury. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A cabin crew member sustained a fractured shoulder after falling against a seat armrest during an emergency stop caused by a towbar disconnecting from the aircraft while it was rolling backward.
What happened
During the pushback operation from a terminal gate, the towbar connecting the tug to the aircraft became disconnected. This failure allowed the airplane to continue rolling backward uncontrolled. Ground personnel detected the situation and utilized an intercom system to call for an emergency stop. The captain responded by applying the airplane brakes abruptly to halt the backward motion.
During this sudden deceleration, a cabin crew member lost her balance due to the force of the stop. She fell forward and struck her shoulder against a seat armrest. This impact resulted in a fractured shoulder for the crew member.
Probable cause
The disconnect of the towbar during pushback, which allowed the aircraft to roll backward, leading to an emergency stop that caused the cabin crew member to fall and sustain injury.
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