Boeing 737-3H4 accident near Los Angeles, California, April 10, 2010
On April 10, 2010 at about 2:30 am local time, a Boeing 737-3H4, registered N624SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during pushback/tow (engine oper) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 109 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tug operator’s failure to comply with company procedures when parking an unoccupied baggage tug, and the failure of the tug’s seat switch to disengage the electric motor when weight was removed from the driver’s seat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2010 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 109 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-3H4 · all 737-3H4s on the register
- Registration
- N624SW · no longer on the register · serial 27934
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the airplane was being pushed back for its flight, it was struck by a runaway baggage tug. The tug operator reported that he stopped on the ramp to pick up two bags. He exited the tug without setting its parking brake, turning off its engine, or placing the gear selector in neutral or park, which was not in accordance with the tug company’s ground equipment general driving rules. The tug operator then placed the first bag on the passenger seat, which company procedures caution against doing. While the tug operator was handling the second bag, the unoccupied tug began to move because the first bag had fallen off the passenger seat onto the accelerator pedal. The tug moved forward, struck a hydrant fueling cart on the ramp, and then veered toward the left side of the airplane. The tug impacted both of the airplane’s engines and its fuselage. If the tug operator had followed company driving rules, the accident could have been prevented. In addition, postaccident examination of the tug revealed that the electrical motor disengaging seat switch, which is designed to disengage the tug's electrical motor when weight is removed from the driver's seat, was inoperative; therefore, it did not prevent the tug from moving forward as designed.
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 pushback/tow (engine oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Ground crew
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Ground crew
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Flight time: 24,760 hours in all; 20,993 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 20,014 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46,873 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 7, 2010
- Seats: 149
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: General Electric CFM 56-3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CFM 56-3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 2:30 am
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24L, 10,285 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 104 |
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 N624SW 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.