Incident Description
Two Boeing 737 company aircraft were involved in a ground collision while on the ramp. The first airplane, registered as N305UA, was pushed straight back from its gate using a tug and a wing walker. After disconnection from the tug, the engines of the first airplane were running. The pilots received hand signals from the tug operator indicating that they were released from his guidance.
The second airplane, registered as N373UA, was being pushed back from an adjacent gate, also with a tug and a wing walker. The wing walker, positioned at the front of the right wing, stopped the pushback. A brief discussion took place between the wing walker and the tug operator, after which the tug operator pulled the aircraft back toward the gate.
The pilots of the first airplane visually cleared the area and began to taxi by turning to the west. During the turn, the left wing tip of the first airplane struck the right wing tip of the second airplane.