Boeing 737 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 29, 2010
On October 29, 2010 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered CFWAQ, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) not oper) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 142 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground service vehicle driver's depressing of the accelerator rather than the brake pedal, resulting in a collision with the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2010 · about 7:45 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 142 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7CT · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- CFWAQ · registered outside the United States · serial 32748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was parked at the gate and about half of the passengers had deplaned. At that time, a ground service vehicle backed toward the airplane to service the aft lavatory. A guide man signaled the driver to stop the vehicle for a brake check, which he did. The guide man then signaled the driver to resume reversing the vehicle, and subsequently signaled the driver to stop in the service position, located about three feet from the airplane's fuselage. The driver stopped the vehicle; however, before he could put it into park, his foot slipped off the brake pedal and onto the accelerator, which resulted in the vehicle further backing into the airplane. During the impact, the airplane incurred a 12-inch by 6-inch tear in the fuselage, which included stringer damage.
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 standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Ground crew
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Ground support/equipment › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 9, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,356 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 29, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 138,300 lb
- Seats: 142
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CFM-56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CFM-56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYUL Montreal at 4:01 pm
- Destination: KFLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KFLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 136 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 4, 2010. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Vehicle Driver's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Vehicle Driver Supervisor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo - View of Airplane Damage (Photo Courtesy of Westjet) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Boeing 737 2,897 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Boeing 6,678 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Ge CFM-56-7B24 28 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Ge CFM-56-7B24 28 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 984 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,709 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA11LA044.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.