Boeing 737-7H4 N913WN incident near Phoenix, Arizona

Probable cause

The failure of the tug operator and wing walker to adequately monitor the environment during pushback of the airplane from the gate in preparation for flight, which led to the collision of the airplane with an adjacently parked airplane.

NTSB analysis

While being pushed back from the gate by a tug in preparation for flight, the airplane collided with an airplane parked to its right. The pushback into an adjacent alleyway required the tug operator to accomplish a turn reversal to properly align the airplane. Further, the tug operator and wing walker slowed down the tug's speed during the turn to ensure that they avoided baggage carts located near the right engine. The turn was performed too tightly, and, when the tug operator's and wing walker's attention was focused on clearing the nearby carts, the airplane's right winglet struck the parked, unoccupied airplane's left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13IA226 for the full record.