Incident Overview
A mechanic serving as a ground guide was fatally injured when lightning struck the tail of an aircraft during pushback. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was being prepared for departure, and rainfall had become moderate to heavy. The mechanic was wearing a headset connected to the aircraft, and the lightning traveled through the aircraft, causing the fatal injury.
Sequence of Events
Witnesses and supervisors reported that lightning had been observed in the area prior to the accident. However, no lightning had been seen for approximately 15 minutes. The decision to initiate pushback was made after a phone conversation with tower personnel. During the pushback process, lightning struck the aircraft's tail, leading to the mechanic's death.
Safety Manual Provisions
The airline's safety manual explicitly prohibited ground guide operations during periods of observed lightning. Despite the absence of visible lightning for 15 minutes, the presence of moderate to heavy rainfall and the subsequent lightning strike indicate that hazardous conditions existed at the time of the operation.