12 May 2011: BOEING 737-732 — DELTA AIRLINES INC

12 May 2011: BOEING 737-732 — DELTA AIRLINES INC

No fatalities • Atlanta, GA, United States

Probable cause

The B737-700 pilot did not maintain adequate wing tip clearance while taxiing around the stopped B-737-800.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

The captain of the Boeing B737-700 reported that he was cleared to follow a company B737-800 to the ramp. The B737-800 captain reported that he was cleared to gate E3, however he needed to hold his position near gate E1 so that ramp personnel could prepare the gate for arrival. The captain of the B737-700 realized that his airplane was blocking the taxiway at the entry to the ramp, so he relayed a request through ramp tower to have the B737-800 move forward. Ramp tower relayed the request, and the captain of the B737-800 reportedly moved forward about 20 to 30 feet. The captain of the B737-700 began to taxi around the right side of the B737-800, but reported that the B737-800 did not taxi forward as far as he expected. The captain of the B-737-700 was concerned with the clearance between his left wingtip and the tail and the right wingtip of the B737-800. While shifting his attention between his wingtip and the B-737-800, he felt the shudder as the upper part of B737-700 left winglet contacted the outer part of the B737-800 right elevator. Substantial damage occurred to the right elevator of the B737-800.

Contributing factors

  • cause Pilot
  • cause Pilot of other aircraft

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 260/08kt, vis 10sm

Related events

Same aircraft

  • 13 Mar 2012 — Boeing 737-732 (WL) (Delta Air Lines)
  • 8 Dec 2011 — Boeing 737-732 (WL) (Delta Air Lines)
  • 12 May 2011 — Boeing 737-732 (WL) (Delta Air Lines)

Same operator

  • 9 Dec 2010 — BOEING 737-832 (DELTA AIRLINES INC)
  • 18 Jul 2010 — MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO MD-88 (DELTA AIRLINES INC)
  • 15 Jul 2010 — BOEING 767 332ER (DELTA AIRLINES INC)

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