Boeing 777-300 accident near San Francisco, California, August 16, 2008
On August 16, 2008 at about 8:50 am local time, a Boeing 777-300, registered B16710, was involved in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near San Francisco, California (San Francisco International airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 311 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground crewman's failure to follow the tow bar disconnect standard operating procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2008 · about 8:50 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 311 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 777-300 · all 777-300s on the register
- Registration
- B16710 · no longer on the register · serial 32641
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The transport airplane had been pushed back from the gate and the engines were started. Ground personnel attempted to disconnect the tow bar but had difficulty. They instructed the flight crew to release the parking brake in order to reposition the nose gear. The mechanic attempted to disconnect the tow bar and when it finally disconnected, the airplane moved forward and he was pinned under the left nose gear. The ground crew management and airline personnel indicated that the ground crew personnel were not acting in accordance with established standard operating procedures which requires that the parking brake be set prior to removal of the tow bar.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Towing and taxiing › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Ground crew
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,123 hours in all; 1,494 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 5,045 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,452 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 24, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,894.5 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 31, 2008; 234 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 758,000 lb
- Seats: 316
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric GE90-115B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eva Air
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 9:02 am
- Destination: TPE Taipei
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; a few clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from SFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 12 | |||
| Flight crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 294 |
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.