From San Francisco Chronicle
FAA investigators examine slow-speed jet collision at SFO
By Michael Cabanatuan
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are probing the collision Sunday night of a United Airlines 757 and a smaller United Express jet in a ramp area at San Francisco International Airport.
The 757, which was headed for a maintenance area, apparently backed into a Boise, Idaho-bound Bombardier CRJ700 operated by SkyWest Airlines under the United Express name. No one was injured in the slow-speed crash, but both aircraft suffered damage to their tail sections.
"We are investigating why the incident happened," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. "We're reviewing audiotapes and interviewing the people involved."
Gregor said the same air traffic controller was handling both planes after they left the gates at domestic Terminal 3 about 7:30 p.m.
The 757 was leaving Gate 80 without passengers, headed for a maintenance facility. The regional jet had left Gate 79 and was sitting 100 yards from the gate waiting for instructions from the flight tower.
Airport officials said the Boeing 757-200 was being pushed by a heavy truck known as a tug when it backed into the SkyWest jet, which was carrying 60 passengers and crew.
United officials downplayed the significance of the crash, describing it as akin to a parking lot fender-bender.
"I wouldn't even say it was a collision," United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said. "The planes bumped into each other as they were backing up. They move at very slow speeds in that area - 1 to 2 mph."
Gregor confirmed that no "wing walkers" - workers on the ground who guide the planes with arm motions - were directing the tug as it moved the 757. FAA regulations do not require wing walkers, he said, and leave control of planes in the ramp areas to the airlines.
Passengers on the SkyWest jet, who were taken off the plane and spent the night in hotels, departed Monday morning for Boise on another aircraft, Urbanski said.
Gregor said the accident, given its location, does not constitute a runway collision and said SFO is not at particular risk for runway crashes.
"We never declared SFO one of the riskiest," he said.
E-mail Michael Cabanatuan at mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com. |
