According to a company flight safety investigator, the aircraft was parked at the gate while the first officer and four flight attendants were aboard preparing for the upcoming flight. Baggage handlers on the ramp were loading baggage onto the aircraft when the jet blast from a taxing Boeing 767-400ER blew an empty baggage cart from its parked position, which collided with the left side of the aft service panel, causing a 15 by 18 in puncture through the aircraft skin and severing two stringers.

According to the baggage handler, after he had staged the empty baggage cart into location among two other carts, he "made sure that it was locked" by giving the cart a "push" from the left side. He stated that the cart did not "budge" after he pushed it. A video of the accident showed the cart being blown from the jet blast as it travelled across the ramp and impacted the left side of the aircraft. The other two baggage carts remained unmoved.