What happened
On 7 July 2018, an Air Asia Airbus A330-300, registration 9M-XXC, was taxiing at Velana International Airport (VIA) following a flight from Kuala Lumpur. Under the guidance of a marshaller and a wing walker, the aircraft was navigating Taxiway C toward a parking position. During a turn, the starboard winglet of the 9M-XXC made contact with the port-side horizontal stabilizer of a parked Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900, registration A7-ALL.
The impact caused a dent in the winglet of the 9M-XXC and significant damage to the A7-ALL, which included a torn and bent horizontal stabilizer. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew on either aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the movements of the aircraft, the ground personnel's signals, and the airport's infrastructure. The crew of the 9M-XXC reported that the aircraft was moving at a low speed and that the pilot was monitoring the wingtip clearance. However, the crew noted that the aircraft continued forward for several feet after a stop signal was issued.
Investigators reviewed the ground staff's actions, noting that the marshaller was providing turn instructions while the wing walker was attempting to signal a stop. The investigation also looked into the airport's layout, specifically the lack of designated parking stands and lead-in lines, which forced a heavy reliance on manual marshalling.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was the failure to follow established marshalling procedures when maneuvering the aircraft into a tight parking space.
- The apron environment was highly congested, making safe maneuvering difficult.
- Only one marshaller and one wing walker were deployed, which did not meet the standard operating procedure requiring three personnel for such maneuvers.
- The airport lacked clearly marked parking stands and lead-in lines, contributing to the difficulty in maintaining clearance.
- An expired regulatory exemption regarding the lack of apron safety markings was in effect at the time of the incident.
Safety action
- Recommendations were made to ensure the airport operator maintains the required number of marshallers and wing walkers during all maneuvers.
- The investigation suggested expanding CCTV coverage to better monitor apron and runway movements.
- There is a need to review and update airport standard operating procedures to match current parking management practices and ensure all regulatory requirements and exemptions are kept current.