Boeing 767 incident near Dulles International Airport, Virginia, November 4, 2009
On November 4, 2009 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Boeing 767, registered GBNWY, suffered minor damage in an incident during taxi (from runway) near Dulles International Airport, Virginia (Dulles International Airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the lead and left side marshallers to identify the B40 jetway obstacle and stop the airplane's taxi before the wingtip contacted the jetway. Contributing to the cause of this incident were inadequate marshalling procedures used by the ground support company, which failed to: (1) provide sufficient personnel to ensure that visual contact was maintained at all times when airplanes were taxiing to the gate area and (2) verify proper positioning of jetways in the taxi path of the airplane before directing airplanes into the gate area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2009 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dulles International Airport, Virginia · Dulles International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767 336 · all 767s on the register
- Registration
- GBNWY · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain stated that during the taxi, the airplane was always on the yellow painted line on the pavement, and that the parking area appeared clear of vehicles and obstructions. The lead marshaller was indicating “all clear” with lighted wands, and as the airplane neared the final parking position, it came to a stop. The first officer characterized the stop as “gentle”, as if the aircraft had met an inclined ramp. The lead marshaller continued to indicate “taxi forward” and some engine thrust was applied by the first officer, but because the airplane did not move, he retarded the throttles. The lead marshaller then indicated a routine “stop”. An examination of the B38/B40 parking area revealed that the B40 gate was not retracted and parked within its safety zone by airline personnel. Due to the proximity of jetways B38 and B40 to a ramp road or lane utilized by ground support vehicles, Evergreen E.A.G.L.E policy called for wing marshallers to remain near the road as aircraft are parked. This allowed them to stop ground support vehicle traffic until the parking airplane’s engines were shut down. At the time of the incident, they did not “walk the wings” into the parking spots. The lead marshaller stated that he was in place on top of an airplane tug, but that jetway B38 blocked his view of the outer portion of the left wing as the airplane taxied toward him. He stated that he did not see the left side marshaller make any signals to stop the airplane. The left side marshaller, positioned behind the airplane at the ramp road, stated that he saw that the left wing was about to contact jetway B40, and signaled to the lead marshaller to stop the airplane. When he saw that the lead marshaller was not responding, he ran forward, but by that time the wing contact had already occurred.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Ground crew
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Maintenance provider
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Flight service personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Flight time: 10,498 hours in all; 213 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 4,103 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 13, 2009
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Flight time: 9,300 hours in all; 5,200 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 25, 2009
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: EGLL London
- Destination: IAD Dulles International Airport VA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.