What happened
During ground operations at an airport, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 was being pushed back toward a stationary Boeing 727. The maneuver involved three ground walkers and a single tug driver coordinating the movement of the jetliner.
As the MD-88 moved backward, all three ground walkers simultaneously signaled for the tug driver to stop. However, the tug driver reported that he was unable to bring the vehicle to a halt prior to impact without jamming on the brakes. Consequently, he elected to make a controlled stop rather than an emergency brake application.
Despite these efforts, the elevator of the MD-88 struck the rudder of the Boeing 727. The collision occurred during the pushback phase of operations, resulting in damage to both aircraft.