Boeing 737 and Boeing 737 7H4 accident near Detroit, Michigan, February 17, 2016
On February 17, 2016 at about 11:10 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737 (N925NN) and Boeing 737 7H4 (N784SW), were involved in the same accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou airport). No one was hurt; 155 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
N925NN flight crew's incorrect evaluation of the clearance between the two aircraft, leading to the inadvertent collision of the winglet with the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of N784SW.
N925NN flight crew's incorrect evaluation of the clearance between the two aircraft, leading to the inadvertent collision of the winglet with the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of N784SW.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2016 · about 11:10 am local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 155 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737 823, built 2013 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N925NN · registry record · serial 31169
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 737 7H4 7H4, built 2000 · all 737 7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N784SW · no longer on the register · serial 29810
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On 17 February 2016, at about 0610 central daylight time, a B737-800, registration N925NN operated by American Airlines, contacted a Southwest Airlines B737-700, registration N784SW, that was stationary on a deice pad with engines stopped and was being deiced at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, MI. The American Airlines B737 was taxiing to an adjacent deice pad when it struck the Southwest Airlines B737. N925NN incurred damage to the right winglet, and N784SW sustained substantial damage to its right elevator, elevator tab, stabilizer leading edge, and APU exhaust. There were no injuries on either airplane, and both airplanes taxied back to gate to deplane passengers. Both airplanes were operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as regularly scheduled passenger flights. According to the Southwest flight crew, N784SW was stationary on the deice pad 3 with the engines shut down and was being deiced. According to the deice ground crew, N784SW and a United airplane on deice pad 4 were not fully pulled into their respective parking spots on the deice pad. N925NN passed behind N784SW and turned to enter to an adjacent deice pad, and its right winglet contacted the right elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and APU of the Southwest B737.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737 7H4 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On 17 February 2016, at about 0610 central daylight time, a B737-800, registration N925NN operated by American Airlines, contacted a Southwest Airlines B737-700, registration N784SW, that was stationary on a deice pad with engines stopped and was being deiced at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, MI. The American Airlines B737 was taxiing to an adjacent deice pad when it struck the Southwest Airlines B737. N925NN incurred damage to the right winglet, and N784SW sustained substantial damage to its right elevator, elevator tab, stabilizer leading edge, and APU exhaust. There were no injuries on either airplane, and both airplanes taxied back to gate to deplane passengers. Both airplanes were operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as regularly scheduled passenger flights. According to the Southwest flight crew, N784SW was stationary on the deice pad 3 with the engines shut down and was being deiced. According to the deice ground crew, N784SW and a United airplane on deice pad 4 were not fully pulled into their respective parking spots on the deice pad. N925NN passed behind N784SW and turned to enter to an adjacent deice pad, and its right winglet contacted the right elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and APU of the Southwest B737.
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 for the Boeing 737 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Flight crew
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Flight time: 10,449 hours in all; 2,120 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 23, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 7, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,518 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 3, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 174,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24E (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24E (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI
- Destination: DFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 2998°F (1648°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 149 |
The factual record for the Boeing 737 7H4 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot of other aircraft
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: 13,650 hours in all; 6,430 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 11,792 as pilot in command; 437 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 5,400 in this make and model; 188 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,358 as pilot in command; 629 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 151
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 27,122 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 64,104 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA16CA094.