Commercial Fixed Wing
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; Weather
I was towing Aircraft X and was cleared into the alley. I was driving down the west side taxi lane. I was driving at a slow and consistent speed. I made my initial turn into the lead in line; the initial turn in seemed fine; after about 15 ft. I corrected a little more. Immediately; I could sense I was slipping on the ice and I was caught in a slide. I attempted to turn into the slide; but it was beyond my control. Once we came to a stop; we could see that the whole alley was a sheet of ice from [one] side to the [other] side. The plane made contact with the tug and we immediately contacted our supervisor.
The tow equipment went into a skid due to the icy conditions of the entire ramp area. The tug driver tried unsuccessfully to regain control and get out from the skid; but the weight of the aircraft kept pushing the tug in continuous slide on the slippery icy surface until the aircraft jack-knifed and bumped against the tug and making the dent on the fuselage. The whole ramp surface should have been properly evaluated for safe aircraft towing conditions. There was little to no traction available for safe vehicle operations.
Air Carrier Tow personnel reported control was lost of an aircraft under tow which slid into a tug denting the aircraft.