2009-08 · NASA ASRS report 848049
The trailing edge of B737-700 winglet struck leading edge of the adjacent B737 winglet during pushback. The ground crew did not communicate with the flight crew.
During normal pushback operations from gate; the tug driver pushed our aircraft (-700) into an aircraft parked at adjacent gate. The impact caused the aft edge of our left winglet to contact the leading edge of the right winglet of the other aircraft. Both blended winglets were damaged. We were approximately halfway through the push when the collision took place and were in the middle of starting engine #2. The tug driver made no communication with the cockpit after clearing us to start engine #2 and even after the collision; did not inform the flight deck of what happened. We only found out when a Flight Attendant called up and informed us that the wings had impacted. The collision caused a sudden shuddering stop that was surprising; but not harmful to me. The Captain and I originally thought we may have been pushed over an object (chocks or the like). After the impact; I made a PA asking the passengers to stay seated with seat belts fastened; informed them that we were pushed into another aircraft (as they could clearly see out the cabin windows); and that we were going back to the gate. We were towed forward by the same tug and tow bar to a position near the jet bridge; but off to the right of the line. Another pushback bar was brought out and attached to the aircraft and we were properly positioned at the gate for jet bridge operation. The passengers deplaned normally. Prior to being towed to the gate engine #2 was shut down and conditioned air/hyds/elec provided via the still running APU. After arrival at the gate; we ran appropriate checklists and the Captain began speaking with Dispatch; the Chief Pilot on duty and tending to numerous incoming phone calls regarding the event. I ensured the aircraft systems were secure; completed the ships log; and returned to gate info via ACARS. We checked with the flight attendants and were told all passengers deplaned normally. There was no aircraft parked at gate to our right. Our gate had the other event aircraft parked with very little room for error. The space at ZZZ is extremely tight and we push a lot of metal around there. There should have been another wing walker on the left wing; or the one on the right where there was no obstruction should have been moved to the opposite side. The tug driver needs to pay attention and most definitely needs to communicate with the cockpit immediately upon any non-normal event. We had no one on the ground communicate with us about the event when it happened. Eventually we were told we were being towed back to the gate.
On pushback from gate tug driver pushed the aircraft straight back hitting our left wingtip on the right wingtip of aircraft parked at the gate. Aircraft towed back to gate and unloaded. Some flight attendants were standing and thrown into galley and bulkhead walls resulting in minor injuries. All flight attendants pulled and pilots continued on to our destination. Multiple gate swaps going on at time. Ground crew was not sure of what flight they were working because they pulled the ground air 15 minutes early thinking it was push time. The First Officer went to ramp and coordinated our time schedule. I can only suspect that the ramp crew was not the one that brought us into the gate and might not have remembered that you cannot push straight back from this gate. Space between these two gates is extremely limited. I would recommend that gate be a smaller aircraft only gate to prevent possible problems in the future.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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