Accident Details
On February 3, 2012, at approximately 1717 Pacific daylight time, SkyWest Airlines flight 6261, a Bombardier CL600-2B19 (registration N912SW), was impacted by a belt loader at San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California. The aircraft was parked at the gate and ready for pushback at the time of the incident. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight to Mahlon Sweet Field Airport, Eugene, Oregon.
Incident Sequence
After the boarding process was complete, the flight crew was informed that a belt loader had struck the airplane. According to the operator, the driver of the belt loader had been parked at the rear cargo door and believed there was sufficient room between the loader and the airplane to make a forward right turn instead of backing up. During the turn, the front left corner of the loader impacted the airplane.
Damage
The impact caused substantial damage to the skin, stringers, and a frame of the aircraft. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members onboard.