Boeing 757-24APF accident near Burbank, California, April 24, 2007
On April 24, 2007 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Boeing 757-24APF, registered N402UP, was involved in an accident near Burbank, California (Bob Hope Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tow tractor driver's and mechanic's diverted attention resulting in the airplane rolling over the mechanic's foot. Also causal was the mechanic's failure to maintain clearance from the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 2007 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Burbank, California · Bob Hope Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-24APF · all 757-24APFs on the register
- Registration
- N402UP · registry record · serial 23724
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While positioned to the right of the nose landing gear of the Boeing 757 airplane, a mechanic received a clearance from the flight crew to commence pushback. The tow tractor driver started the operation by turning the nose wheel left in an effort to align the airplane into position. As the airplane was being pushed back from the ramp area to the taxiway, the mechanic noticed a small airplane taxiing behind the tail of the Boeing and in response, gave a signal for the towing operations to stop. The driver slowly applied the brakes; both the mechanic and tow driver were preoccupied with watching the taxiing airplane. The right wheel of the Boeing's nose landing gear continued to roll over the mechanic's right foot, which the tow tractor driver did not observe due to the position of the airplane's landing gear. The mechanic sustained numerous fractures in his foot and ankle.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 152 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 376 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 250,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney 2040 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney 2040 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from BUR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.