NTSB CAROL · Event
Event NYC93LA040
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
A LACK OF ADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE WALKER AND TUG WHICH RESULTED IN THE WALKER BEING STRUCK BY THE TUG WHEN HE FELL FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A POLICY TO STAY CLEAR OF THE TUG, TOWBAR, AND NOSEWHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHILE PUSHBACK OPERATIONS ARE IN MOTION.
Factual narrative
THE B737 WAS BEING PUSHED BACK USING A 2 MAN GROUND CREW. THE TUG DRIVER WAS SEATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TUG. THE WALKER WAS FORWARD OF THE TUG, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, USING A 15 FT HEADSET CORD WHICH RESTRICTED HIS ABILITY TO STAY CLEAR OF THE NOSEWHEEL, TUG, AND TOWBAR. THE TUG DRIVER SAID THAT IN HIS PERIPHERAL VISION, HE SAW THE WALKER FALL AND STOPPED THE TUG IMMEDIATELY; HOWEVER, THE TUG WAS NOT STOPPED PRIOR TO STRIKING THE FALLEN WALKER WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO WITNESSES WERE FOUND WHO COULD SAY WHY THE WALKER FELL. EXAMINATION OF COMPANY PROCEDURES REVEALED THEY ISSUED A MAINTENANCE TRAINING BULLETIN IN 12/89. THE BULLETIN REFERENCED A 'REQUIREMENT' TO STAY CLEAR OF THE AIRPLANE NOSEWHEEL. ALTHOUGH SENT TO ALL STATIONS, THE BULLETIN WAS NOT MANDATORY READING AND IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE WALKER WAS AWARE OF ITS CONTENT. IN ADDITION, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BULLETIN WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED INTO THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE MANUAL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1992_NYC93LA040.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
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