Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2C10 and Boeing 757-222 accident near San Francisco, California, January 14, 2008
On January 14, 2008 at about 3:29 am local time, 2 aircraft, Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2C10 (N705SK) and Boeing 757-222 (N508UA), were involved in the same accident near San Francisco, California (San Francisco International airport). No one was hurt; 61 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The company tug operator of the other airplane's failure to maintain clearance with this aircraft during the pushback process. Also causal was the ground controller's failure to alert the pilot of this aircraft and tug operator of the other airplane of the simultaneous pushback occurring from adjacent gates. Contributing to the accident was the company's pushback operation without the use of wing/tail walkers.
The company tug operator's failure to maintain clearance with another aircraft during the pushback process. Also causal was the ground controller's failure to alert the pilot of the other aircraft and tug operator of this airplane of the simultaneous pushback occurring from adjacent gates. Contributing to the accident was the company's pushback operation without the use of wing/tail walkers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2008 · about 3:29 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 61 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2C10
- Registration
- N705SK · registry record · serial 10145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 757-222 · all 757-222s on the register
- Registration
- N508UA · registry record · serial 24744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2C10 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Boeing 757-222 airplane and a Bombardier Inc. CL-600-2C10 were substantially damaged when the tails of both airplanes collided during the pushback process from two adjacent terminal gates during night visual meteorological conditions. The flight crew of the CL-600-2C10 reported that during the final stages of pushback from gate 79, they were in a stopped position with both engines running while their ground crew was in the process of disconnecting the tug when the collision occurred. Company maintenance personnel stated they were pushing the 757-222 back from gate 80 without the use of wing-walkers or tail walkers to relocate the airplane to another location on the airport and did not see the CL-600-2C10. Review of Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication recordings between ground control and both airplanes revealed that the 757-222 was initially cleared for pushback onto taxiway alpha from gate 80. About 41 seconds later, the ground controller cleared the CL-600-2C10 to push back onto taxiway alpha from gate 79. The recordings revealed that the ground controller did not advise either aircraft of near simultaneous adjacent pushback operations. The controller stated that he believed there was room for both aircraft to push back and did not foresee a traffic conflict.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 757-222 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Boeing 757-222 airplane and a Bombardier Inc. CL-600-2C10 were substantially damaged when the tails of both airplanes collided during the pushback process from two adjacent terminal gates during night visual meteorological conditions. The flight crew of the CL-600-2C10 reported that during the final stages of pushback from gate 79, they were in a stopped position with both engines running while their ground crew was in the process of disconnecting the tug when the collision occurred. Company maintenance personnel stated they were pushing the 757-222 back from gate 80 without the use of wing-walkers or tail walkers to relocate the airplane to another location on the airport and did not see the CL-600-2C10. Review of Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication recordings between ground control and both airplanes revealed that the 757-222 was initially cleared for pushback onto taxiway alpha from gate 80. About 41 seconds later, the ground controller cleared the CL-600-2C10 to push back onto taxiway alpha from gate 79. The recordings revealed that the ground controller did not advise either aircraft of near simultaneous adjacent pushback operations. The controller stated that he believed there was room for both aircraft to push back and did not foresee a traffic conflict.
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 for the Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2C10 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during pushback/towing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Maintenance personnel
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Ground crew
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,797 hours in all; 4,347 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,999 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,507 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2008; 2,643 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 75,250 lb
- Seats: 70
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF34-8C1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSFO San Francisco CA
- Destination: KBOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from KSFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flig | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 55 |
The factual record for the Boeing 757-222 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during pushback/towing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › ATC personnel
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Ground crew
Other crew
- Flight time: 0 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 59,365 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 240,000 lb
- Seats: 192
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Pw2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSFO San Francisco CA
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA08LA061.