Airbus A320-232 and Airbus Industrie A320-232 incident near Denver, Colorado, August 3, 2005
On August 3, 2005 at about 2:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Airbus A320-232 (N496UA) and Airbus Industrie A320-232 (N472UA), were involved in the same incident near Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport). No one was hurt; 324 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's failure to maintain sufficient clearance while taxiing to an assigned gate, which resulted in a collision with an airplane that had been pushed back (and holding) from another gate. Also causal was the tug operator's failure to follow published company procedures resulting in the holding airplane being pushed back too far, which reduced wingtip clearance of the taxiing airplane.
The captain's failure to maintain sufficient clearance while taxiing to an assigned gate, which resulted in a collision with an airplane that had been pushed back (and holding) from another gate. Also causal was the tug operator's failure to follow published company procedures resulting in the holding airplane being pushed back too far, which reduced wingtip clearance of the taxiing airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2005 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 324 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Airbus A320-232 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N496UA · registry record · serial 1845
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus Industrie A320-232 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N472UA · registry record · serial 1435
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus A320-232 final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing east on Taxiway AA toward Gate A-48, an Airbus A320 collided with another Airbus A320 from the same company that had been pushed back from Gate A-40 and was holding on the ramp for the inbound traffic to clear. According to company policy, airplanes departing Concourse A were pushed back until the main landing gear wheels sat on the centerline of Taxiway AS, the northern taxiway. This policy assured airplanes taxiing on Taxiway AA (the southern taxiway) adequate wingtip clearance (about 30 feet), assuming their nose wheel stayed on the centerline. A witness said the holding airplane was pushed back too far from Taxiway AS and the taxiing airplane's nose wheel was on the centerline of Taxiway AA. As the inbound airplane taxied behind the holding airplane, its left winglet cut through the bottom section of holding airplane's tail cone. The flight crew on the inbound airplane recognized that the holding airplane was pushed back further than normal from the gate and elected to increase their wing tip clearance by moving to the right of the Taxiway AA centerline approximately 5 to 6 feet. As they approached the holding airplane, the captain reduced forward speed to a crawl, determined there was sufficient clearance between the two airplanes, and continued to taxi to their assigned gate. The flight crew onboard the holding airplane felt the airplane move slightly as the inbound airplane taxied behind them. Shortly after, both flight crews were notified of the collision.
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 Airbus Industrie A320-232 final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing east on Taxiway AA toward Gate A-48, an Airbus A320 collided with another Airbus A320 from the same company that had been pushed back from Gate A-40 and was holding on the ramp for the inbound traffic to clear. According to company policy, airplanes departing Concourse A were pushed back until the main landing gear wheels sat on the centerline of Taxiway AS, the northern taxiway. This policy assured airplanes taxiing on Taxiway AA (the southern taxiway) adequate wingtip clearance (about 30 feet), assuming their nose wheel stayed on the centerline. A witness said the holding airplane was pushed back too far from Taxiway AS and the taxiing airplane's nose wheel was on the centerline of Taxiway AA. As the inbound airplane taxied behind the holding airplane, its left winglet cut through the bottom section of holding airplane's tail cone. The flight crew on the inbound airplane recognized that the holding airplane was pushed back further than normal from the gate and elected to increase their wing tip clearance by moving to the right of the Taxiway AA centerline approximately 5 to 6 feet. As they approached the holding airplane, the captain reduced forward speed to a crawl, determined there was sufficient clearance between the two airplanes, and continued to taxi to their assigned gate. The flight crew onboard the holding airplane felt the airplane move slightly as the inbound airplane taxied behind them. Shortly after, both flight crews were notified of the collision.
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 Airbus A320-232 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,079 hours in all; 2,182 in this make and model; 5,154 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,549 hours in all; 4,023 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,616 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 1, 2005; 182 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 170,000 lb
- Seats: 162
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: International Aero Engines V2527-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 1:55 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 156 |
The factual record for the Airbus Industrie A320-232 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,045 hours in all; 568 in this make and model; 8,045 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,729 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2005; 843 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 170,000 lb
- Seats: 156
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: International Aero Engines V2527-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 8:42 am
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 156 |
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.