Boeing 757 accident near San Francisco, California, July 23, 2019
On July 23, 2019 at about 7:48 am local time, a 2001 Boeing 757, registered N57852, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near San Francisco, California (San Francisco International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 199 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the ground crew to maintain clearance from the parked airplane during pushback.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2019 · about 7:48 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 199 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 324, built 2001 · all 757s on the register
- Registration
- N57852 · registry record · serial 32811
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 23, 2019, about 0048, pacific daylight time, United Airlines flight 1161, N57852, a Boeing 757-324, received substantial damage during pushback. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew onboard. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois. According to the flight crew the airplane was at gate 62 at SFO and after the door was closed and Pre-flight and Before-pushback checklists were completed, the flight crew then received clearance to push back. According to the ground crew, the pushback operation was conducted with a tug driver and a wing walker at each wing. After pushback was initiated, another airplane was towed behind the accident airplane. The tug driver stated he saw the other airplane and stopped but lost sight of the wing walker. After he thought the other airplane was clear, he started to move the airplane again, but then was signaled by the other airplanes ground crew to stop and that he had hit their airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right-hand elevator outboard section had broken at the second attach fitting. Also, the right-hand horizontal stabilizer had a puncture, end cap damage and other damage to the lower skin extending about 24 to 30 inches from the outboard end.
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 handling event during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Ground crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Towing and taxiing › Towing › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,260 hours in all; 8,364 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 6,500 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 270,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls Royce RB211-535 (turbofan); 32,214 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls Royce RB211-535 (turbofan); 49,326 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KSFO San Francisco CA at 7:48 am
- Destination: KORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 5 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 192 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 25, 2022. 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, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Employee Statements - Flight Crew | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Employee Statements - Ground Crew | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Other Pertinent Forms and Reports - Damage Assessment | PDF, 11 pages | 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.