Boeing 767-300 accident near Dulles, Virginia, June 17, 2006
On June 17, 2006 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Boeing 767-300, registered N653UA, 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; 183 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The driver's failure to follow company standard operating procedures. A factor was the driver's diverted attention to an on-time departure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2006 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Dulles, Virginia · Washington-Dulles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 183 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-300 · all 767-300s on the register
- Registration
- N653UA · registry record · serial 25391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was at the gate with the crew and passengers onboard, the parking brake was set, and the loading bridge was retracted. A ramp employee, operating a tractor with a baggage cart in tow, was on the left side of the airplane when a pushback guideman on the right side of the airplane signaled that he needed hand wands for the pushback. Forgetting he had a baggage cart in tow, the driver drove under the fuselage to reach the guideman. In the process, the baggage cart impacted the underside of the fuselage about 25 feet aft of the nose and 17 feet in front of the wings. The driver subsequently stated to company officials that he did not follow standard operating procedures when he drove under the fuselage, and that, while trying to ensure an on-time departure, he forgot he had the baggage cart attached to the tractor. The driver was current on all required training.
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: 10,557 hours in all; 2,958 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,414 hours in all; 2,958 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60,261 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 361,000 lb
- Seats: 205
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Sterling VA
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 176 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N653UA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.