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Accidents · NTSB NYC02LA056 · Final report

Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 accident near Dulles, Virginia, January 20, 2002

On January 20, 2002 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, registered N837AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dulles, Virginia (Washington Dulles airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 66 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The lack of direction from the operator on how to perform pushbacks on an icy ramp, which led to the tug driver positioning the tug at an angle to the nose of the airplane that allowed the airplane to move forward and strike the tug. Factors were the inadequate visual lookout by the walker wearing the headset, and the icy ramp.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
January 20, 2002 · about 12:15 pm local time · cases in 2002
Place
Dulles, Virginia · Washington Dulles · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident · collision on the ground
Injuries
No one was hurt; 66 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
Registration
N837AT · no longer on the register · serial 45774
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)

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

The DC-9-32 was parked at the gate, with an inoperative APU, and the ramp was covered with snow and ice. The captain reported that a single engine cross bleed start would require an N1 of about 80% on the operative engine. He therefore elected to start both engines at the gate, and then proceed with the pushback. The operators manual stated that if a headset was used, it would be worn by the tug driver. The tug driver did not wear the headset because the headset chord had been broken and repaired multiple times, and was too short to reach the tug driver. A walker near the nose of the airplane was wearing the headset. During pushback, as the tug driver tried to push the nose of the airplane to the west, the airplane encountered icy conditions, moved forward, and struck the tug. At the time of loss of traction, the tug was nearly 90 degrees to the right side of the nose of the airplane. The forward movement of the airplane was observed by the tug driver, who stopped the tug, but with no headset, he could not notify the cockpit crew. The walker near the nose of the airplane, wearing the headset, reported that he was looking away, and did not observe the airplane moving forward in time to make a call to the cockpit. The pushback was accomplished by a contract crew that had been trained in accordance with the airlines GMM, which did not contain specific direction for pushbacks on icy surfaces.

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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
  • Last flight review: September 11, 2001
  • Medical certificate: Class 1
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: no injuries

Co-pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 4,521 in this make and model; 2,200 as pilot in command
  • Last flight review: November 1, 2001
  • Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: rgt
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 67,712 hours
  • Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 1, 2000
  • Maximum gross weight: 109,000 lb
  • Seats: 106
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 (turbofan); 0 hours total
  • Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 (turbofan); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: Dulles VA at 12:15 pm
  • Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
  • Flight plan: IFR
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: dusk
  • Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
  • Observation at 11:51 am from IAD

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew5
Passengers61

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

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Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC02LA056.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.