Southwest plane clips wing after colliding with American Airlines jet at LaGuardia

[Mark in CA]

Non-event, but well photographed. Appears to be the port winglet.

Southwest plane clips wing after colliding with American Airlines jet at LaGuardia (http://news.yahoo.com/southwest-airlines-laguardia-wing-clipped-photos-172828269.html)

[airspace alpha]

And this gem from Fairfax media in Australi


Tarmac collision severs Boeing 737 wing in New York
Two US pilots may have to go back to driving school after a collision on the tarmac at New York's LaGuardia airport on Tuesday morning, local time.
The horizontal stabiliser of an American Airlines 737 clipped the wing of a moving Southwest Airlines 737, causing the Southwest jet's winglet to sever.
"There was this bump. I look out the window and I actually see the tip of the plane (wing) falling off," 30-year-old Southwest passenger Stormie Alsruhe told CNN.
"I saw it kind of dangle and it just fell. And I thought, 'OK great, we're not taking off now


Here is an open offer: if any journalist would like to find out exactly what aviation is about then give me, or almost anyone else on this site, a call

[glendalegoon]

the only aviation journalist/analyst worth his salt is Miles O'brien.


but this accident/incident reporting (not by o'brien) is interesting on many levels.

in the USA we don't use tarmac at airports at all. for construction we must use other materials. words like apron or ramp or taxiway SHOULD be used.

and while the pictures are unclear, I am almost certain that the AA plane was being pushed back by a tug/tractor and the pilots were not "DRIVING".

Its funny, if a nuke was headed for NY, the southwest pilot probably could have taken off without the winglet...voyageer flew around the world with a damaged winglet, remember that one? ;0

[CISTRS]

I would think that such a collision is far from a "non-event".
Two aircraft go U/S until inspection & repair, aircraft and pax to be re-scheduled.
I'd like to know the cost of the clash.
Happily, just tin and egos bent.

[Basil]

"Err, Boss, can I have the piece of winglet for my study wall?" ;)

[flyingchanges]

Heard AA was holding short of gate not pushing back.

[EEngr]

"Hey! I'm taxiing here!"

[gerago]

Mark in CA
Southwest plane clips wing after colliding with American Airlines jet at LaGuardia
Non-event, but well photographed. Appears to be the port winglet.

Southwest plane clips wing after colliding with American Airlines jet at LaGuardia


Wow, I wish the safety investigation board at the mob I work for is just so generous and forgiving:D

[glendalegoon]

flyingchanges

thanks for clarifying that. IF it is the case that AA was holding, its all Southwest's fault. Taxiing at V1 is not a good way to handle things

;-)

[MrDK]

Damn winglets

[Cows getting bigger]

Certainly not a non-event. There are a few of us who understand safety management and clearly thereare lessons to be learnt. It could be bad apron/taxiway design, poor tug & ground crew training, poor crew management, stress, fatigue etc etc. Sure, the results of this occurrence were relatively inconsequential but to call it a "non-event" is, frankly, naive. We are in an industry that demands safety and that means we look at each event, however minor, and learn lessons - we don't just shrug it off.

Rant over, Happy Christmas. :)

PS. I note the word fault (as in blame) also being used. Again, a very basic and archaic approach to improving safety.

[glendalegoon]

archaic...you mean like NOT TAXIING faster than a man can walk?

[Airbubba]

Taxiing at V1 is not a good way to handle things

It was explained here on another thread that Southwest pilots are handsomely rewarded for staying on schedule.

As a classic train ballad sings:

Well they gave him his orders in Monroe, Virginia
Sayin' Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38, this is ole' 97
You must put her into Spencer on time

Decades ago the original Piedmont was similar with the fast taxi.

And, no matter what, it's the captain's fault (don't ask me how I know).

[West Coast]

Miles O'brien and aviation journalist shouldn't be used in the same sentence. His hack job reporting special on Colgan Air was full of errors befitting his ametuer status.

Toss him and Mary Schiavo.

[glendalegoon]

west coast

I didn't think so. maybe you have specifics to mention. but I've flown for three commuter airlines in my past and he seemed to hit the important points.

maybe you know a better reporter? don phillips of the washington post was pretty good but he does trains now.

[finfly1]

When the Avianca plane ran out of gas and crashed into the woods near a famous tennis player's back yard, Jack Cafferty seemed to be the only on-air person who knew what was going on.

[suninmyeyes]

If we are talking about journalistic accuracy the title of this thread states there were 2 separate impacts! Maybe lost in translation....

[JammedStab]

Heard AA was holding short of gate not pushing back.

Those are the guys you really have to watch for when taxiing. Happened at my company as well. Clipped an aircraft holding short of the gate.

[framer]

A winglet hit the APU of a jet holding off the gate in Melbourne a year or so ago.
I wonder how often this happens globally, probably several times a year?