What happened
During a nighttime pushback operation, a Fokker F-100 was being moved from its gate when its left wing tip extended over an outer service road. While traveling eastbound on that service road, a fuel truck struck the overhanging wing tip.
The driver of the fuel truck reported observing the aircraft being pushed from the gate and noted that the ground crew appeared to be unhooking from the plane. The driver stated the road initially appeared clear, but then observed the tug swinging wide onto the service road toward his vehicle. During a brief moment when the driver diverted his attention to the tug driver, the collision occurred.
The investigation
The investigation determined that US Airways performed the two-man pushback in compliance with their established ground procedures manual. However, the company's manual did not mandate the presence of a safety person using illuminated wands at the service road during instances where part of the aircraft overhangs the roadway. Additionally, it was noted that the Fokker F-100 lacked equipment for rear side wing tip lights.