Background
On 4 March 2007, at approximately 09:00 UTC, an Airbus A319-111, registration CS-TTO, operated by TAP-Portugal as flight TP-431B from Paris–Orly (LFPO) to Lisbon (LPPT), landed at Lisbon Airport. The aircraft carried 6 crew members and 83 passengers.
Accident Details
After landing, the aircraft taxied to parking position A26, which lacked a passenger boarding bridge. A Groundforce Portugal employee drove a motorized stair, unit number 20-362 (FMC EAE, serial number 840000), and positioned it at the forward left passenger door. After adjusting the platform and engaging the safety chocks, he signaled the cabin crew that the stair was secure.
Disembarkation began. As the first passengers descended the front stair, the stair suddenly shifted, creating a horizontal gap of about 1 meter and a vertical drop of approximately 0.5 meters between the stair platform and the aircraft door. One passenger, who was in the process of exiting, missed the platform, lost balance, and fell about 2.9 meters onto the apron through the gap between the stair and the aircraft.
Injuries
The passenger sustained a head trauma and temporarily lost consciousness. He was classified with serious injuries and required evacuation by ambulance. The airport ambulance arrived about 15 minutes later, but due to the severity of injuries and lack of onboard medical equipment, a National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) ambulance was called and arrived eight minutes later. The passenger was hospitalized. No other passengers or crew were injured.
Aircraft and Equipment
The aircraft, an Airbus A319-111 (serial number 1127), built in 1999 and equipped with two CFM56/5B5-P engines, sustained no damage and returned to service as scheduled.
The mobile stair, manufactured in 1988 by FMC Airline Equipment Europe and previously used by TAP–Handling, was transferred to Groundforce Portugal after privatization. The stair features a telescopic upper section driven by a hydraulic actuator, with a fixed lower section attached to the chassis by two metal brackets at the rear and an inverted U-shaped structure at the front. The stair was later inspected by the investigation commission.
Emergency Response
Upon the stair shifting, cabin crew immediately halted disembarkation via the front door and redirected passengers to the rear door. Passengers already on the stair at the time of the incident sustained no injuries and did not receive special medical attention. Emergency services were requested; the airport ambulance arrived approximately 15 minutes after the call, and the INEM ambulance followed eight minutes later.