Incident Overview
On February 17, 2016, at about 0610 central daylight time, a Boeing 737-800, registration N925NN, operated by American Airlines, contacted a Boeing 737-700, registration N784SW, operated by Southwest Airlines. The Southwest airplane was stationary on a deice pad with its engines stopped and was being deiced. The collision occurred at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan. The American Airlines airplane was taxiing to an adjacent deice pad when it struck the Southwest airplane.
Aircraft and Damage
N925NN incurred damage to its right winglet. N784SW sustained substantial damage to its right elevator, elevator tab, stabilizer leading edge, and APU exhaust. Neither airplane reported any injuries. Both airplanes subsequently taxied back to the gate to deplane passengers.
Flight Operations
Both airplanes were operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as regularly scheduled passenger flights.
Sequence of Events
According to the Southwest flight crew, N784SW was stationary on deice pad 3 with the engines shut down and was being deiced. According to the deice ground crew, N784SW and a United airplane on deice pad 4 were not fully pulled into their respective parking spots on the deice pad. N925NN passed behind N784SW and turned to enter an adjacent deice pad. During this maneuver, its right winglet contacted the right elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and APU of the Southwest Boeing 737.