Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82 accident near Providence, Rhode Island, December 20, 2004
On December 20, 2004 at about 11:20 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82, registered N402A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Providence, Rhode Island (Theodore Francis Green State airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 87 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The vehicle driver's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a collision with the airplane during push-back. A factor was the icy ramp area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2004 · about 11:20 am local time
- Place
- Providence, Rhode Island · Theodore Francis Green State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 87 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82
- Registration
- N402A · registry record · serial 49313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was being pushed back by a tug, on an icy ramp. During the push-back, the tug slid left on a patch of ice, and struck the airplane's right side, damaging the nose landing gear, three longerons, and two frames. As the tug began to lose control, the driver exited the vehicle before impact.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,391 hours in all; 2,937 in this make and model; 3,563 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,269 hours in all; 874 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,074 as pilot in command; 132 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 56,639 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 2004; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 150,000 lb
- Seats: 137
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVD Providence RI at 4:15 pm
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 am from PVD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 82 |
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.