The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB DEN05IA098 · Final report

Boeing 737-524 incident near Salt Lake City, Utah, June 20, 2005

On June 20, 2005 at about 3:20 am local time, a Boeing 737-524, registered N24633, suffered minor damage in an incident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 104 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

the left wing walker's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout. Contributing factors were his inadequate initial training, and the failure of other ground personnel to follow company procedures/directives.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
June 20, 2005 · about 3:20 am local time
Place
Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City International · map
Type
Incident · collision on the ground
Injuries
No one was hurt; 104 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Boeing 737-524 · all 737-524s on the register
Registration
N24633 · no longer on the register · serial 27901
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The jetway had previously been positioned for an MD-80, which required a lower entry level than the Boeing 737. The incident captain stated that he did not use landing or taxi lights as he approached the gate. The airplane stopped and he thought the brake may have grabbed for some reason. He applied a "little power for a moment." When the plane did not move, he shut down the engines. Post incident inspection revealed the left engine inlet had contacted the jetway. There was a 3-inch scratch at the 12 o'clock position. The left wing walker, who took responsibility for the incident, said he did not feel the jet bridge posed a threat to the airplane because "they are supposed to taxi up to the jet bridge...I did not notice the plane would hit the bridge until it was too late. He had been on the job for 6 days. The right wing walker was unaware of the incident. The operations supervisor said she thought the jet bridge was a little close to the J-line but when the plane turned in, she thought there would be enough clearance. When the airplane was about 8 feet from the final stop bar, it lurched as if the brakes had been applied rapidly. She said she had received no signals from the wing walkers. The gate agent (and jetway operator), who had been dealing with a customer issue, did not go out onto the jetway until the airplane was approaching the J-line. Realizing a collision was imminent, he attempted to contact the ramp via radio but was too late.

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

Pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 4,837 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
  • Last flight review: February 1, 2005
  • Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: no injuries

Co-pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 5,279 hours in all; 4,766 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days
  • Medical certificate: Class 2
  • Seat: rgt
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 28,212 hours
  • Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
  • Maximum gross weight: 129,500 lb
  • Seats: 111
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine: Cfm International CFM56-3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
  • Operator: Continental Airlines, Inc.

The flight

  • Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 10:15 pm
  • Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
  • Flight plan: IFR
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: dusk
  • Wind: from 320° at 17 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
  • Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
  • Observation at 2:56 am from SLC

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew5
Passengers99

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.