Boeing 737 incident near Denver, Colorado, August 5, 2015
On August 5, 2015, a 2000 Boeing 737, registered N779SW, suffered minor damage in an incident during pushback/tow (engine oper) near Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 148 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The gate lead/pushback driver's failure to recognize that the provisioning truck was within the safety zone of the gate during his walkaround due to distractions, which resulted in the subsequent collision between the airplane and the truck. Contributing to the collision was the provisioning truck driver's failure to recognize he was parked in the safety zone of an active gate adjacent to his assigned gate, and the guide agent's improper assumption that the safety zone was properly cleared by the gate lead/pushback driver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2015
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 148 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 700, built 2000 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N779SW · no longer on the register · serial 27884
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the pushback of a scheduled domestic passenger flight, the airplane's left wing collided with a provisioning truck, rolling the truck onto its side and resulting in minor damage to the airplane. The truck driver stated that he was waiting to service an inbound airplane at the adjacent gate and was likely parked within the safety zone of the incident airplane's gate. The gate lead/pushback driver for the incident airplane stated that he walked past the truck during the pre-pushback walk around but did not recall seeing the truck within the safety zone. The gate lead reported problems with his headset and personal life stress. It is likely that the gate lead was distracted by both during his walk around. Additionally, a guide agent positioned at the airplane's right wing stated that he saw the provisioning truck but assumed that it was not an issue since the gate lead had conducted a walkaround before pushback.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during pushback/tow (engine oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Ground crew
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Ground crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Ground crew
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,952 hours in all; 16,152 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 19,950 as pilot in command; 810 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 23, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,801 hours in all; 2,726 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 3,086 as pilot in command; 321 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 54,165 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, July 29, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 143
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: SAN San Diego CA at 9:26 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KDEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 143 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on July 19, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Ramp Employee Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Provisioning Truck Agent Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Interview Summary Notes - Pushback Driver - Jefferies | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Interview Summary Notes - Guide Agent - Mccormack | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Interview Summary Notes - Provisioning Agent - Shielly | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Video Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Den Gate 24, 26, & 28 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Southwest Airlines Ground Ops Excerpts | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Swa Safety Alert - Ground Ops and Provisioning | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.