A ground equipment vehicle struck a Southwest Airlines jet during passenger boarding Sunday at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee, forcing the carrier to pull the aircraft from service. Southwest Airlines Flight 4013 was removed from operation following the contact, though no injuries were reported among customers or employees. Passengers were eventually rerouted to an alternate aircraft, departing nearly four hours behind schedule.
What Happened on the Tarmac
A ground equipment vehicle — the category of machinery that includes baggage tugs, fuel trucks, and jet bridges — made contact with Southwest Flight 4013 while passengers were in the process of boarding. The incident occurred at Memphis International Airport, operated by the Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority, which confirmed the event in a statement, characterizing it as an isolated matter. Southwest Airlines independently confirmed the strike to Fox News Digital through a spokesperson.
Ground strikes of this kind trigger immediate safety protocols: the aircraft in question must be removed from service and inspected before it can legally carry passengers again. That process is what turned a routine departure into a multi-hour delay.
Passengers Rerouted, Arrival Pushed Back
Southwest directed affected passengers to board a separate aircraft to continue their journey. While a company spokesperson stated the alternate plane would operate the route to Dallas, the airline's own website listed Flight 4013 as resuming service to Harry Reid International Airport in the Las Vegas area. The discrepancy was not explained in the airline's public statements.
The delay was substantial: passengers departed nearly four hours late, with an adjusted arrival time of approximately 5:30 p.m. compared to the originally scheduled 1:50 p.m.
Investigation Underway Through Safety Management System
Southwest said the incident will be examined through what it describes as its comprehensive Safety Management System — a structured, federally recognized framework airlines use to identify hazards, assess risk, and track corrective actions. The airline emphasized that customer and employee safety remains its top priority.
The Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority did not indicate any broader operational disruption resulting from the incident, reiterating its isolated nature. No regulatory findings or additional aircraft were reported to be involved.