What happened
During taxi operations, the pilot of an aircraft observed a van moving in reverse from the left side of the aircraft toward the right. In an attempt to alert the driver, the pilot activated the aircraft's landing lights. Despite this signal, the van continued its path and passed the nose of the airplane. The pilot brought the aircraft to a complete stop; however, the van continued moving and struck the right rear fuselage of the plane.
The investigation
The investigation determined that the driver had exited the running van to perform work on another aircraft without engaging the parking brake. It was also discovered that the van's transmission had been replaced on the day of the accident, and the gear selection indicator was missing from the steering column, which likely contributed to the driver's inability to verify the vehicle's state.