What happened
On the morning of 2 April 1999, a Boeing 737-200, registration EI-CKR, landed at Dublin Airport on Runway 10. The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Stansted. As the crew taxied toward Stand 18, the port wing of the aircraft made light contact with a fuel truck and trailer positioned between Stands 17 and 18.
The collision occurred as the aircraft was being guided by a marshaller. While the pilot was focused on the wingtip clearance and signals from a ground staff member, the aircraft's forward slat struck the top surface of the trailer, resulting in a small chip of paint being removed from the equipment. There were no injuries to the 130 people on board, and the aircraft sustained no apparent damage.
The investigation
The AAIU investigation examined the movements of the aircraft, the positioning of ground service equipment, and the environmental conditions at the time. Investigators found that a power failure in the airport's baggage hall earlier that morning had diverted a significant portion of the ramp crew to assist with luggage handling. This left the remaining ground staff under increased operational pressure.
Witness accounts revealed that the fuel truck, which was preparing to service an aircraft on the adjacent stand, had positioned its trailer in a way that protruded into the taxiway for Stand 18. Furthermore, the investigation noted a lack of clear boundary markings between the adjacent stands, making it difficult to discern the limits of the parking area. While some ground personnel attempted to signal an emergency stop, the aircraft had already moved into a position where the clearance was critically low.
Findings
- The primary cause of the contact was the fuel trailer obstructing the safe path of the approaching aircraft.
- The marshaller did not provide a stop signal with sufficient lead time to prevent the collision.
- The lack of clear red line markings between Stands 17, 18, and 19 contributed to confusion regarding the safe maneuvering area.
- A prior electrical power outage had placed significant pressure on ramp personnel, affecting the efficiency of ground operations.
- The aircraft operator failed to report the incident to the airport authority within the required timeframe.
Safety action
Following the inquiry, several recommendations were made to improve airside safety, including:
- A review by the airport operator regarding the use of trailers in converging stand areas.
- The implementation of clearer stand division markings to prevent misjudgments.
- The establishment of a working group to standardize the management of airport apron areas.
- Enhanced training programs for ramp staff to ensure consistent safety standards during high-pressure operations.