What happened
A scheduled domestic passenger flight, operating under Title 14 CFR Part 121, was taxiing from the terminal toward the departure runway when a collision occurred. As the airplane moved along the taxiway, an airport baggage tug emerged from around the end of the concourse building near the terminal.
The driver of the tug attempted to stop the vehicle but could not prevent it from striking the outboard end of the aircraft's right wing. The impact occurred when the cab portion of the tug hit the wing approximately 4 feet inboard from the wingtip. The collision resulted in crushing and tearing of the leading edge of the wing. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the tug and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. It was determined that rain was falling during the event, leaving the airport ramps in a wet condition. The investigation examined whether the tug's brakes failed due to a mechanical malfunction or if they were rendered ineffective by the wet surface conditions.