What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on null involved a aircraft, registration HB-INV, at IE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The collision was caused by the improper parking of passenger buses within the boundaries of Stand 32, compounded by a lack of sufficient caution and effective signaling by the ground handling crew during the arrival maneuver.

MD83 Wingtip Collision with Parked Bus at Dublin Airport

An MD83 aircraft sustained damage to its left wing after striking a parked bus while taxiing into a stand at Dublin Airport.

What happened

On 3 September 1999, at approximately 13:10 hours, an MD83, registration HB-INV, was taxiing into Stand 32 at Dublin Airport. As the pilot maneuvered the aircraft along the yellow taxiline toward the hammerhead, the left wing forward slat made contact with a bus that had been parked in the area. The impact shattered the rear window of the bus and caused damage to the aircraft's wing tip and forward slat. There were no injuries to the 133 people on board or the ground personnel involved.

During the maneuver, the pilot was accompanied by a marshaller and a wingman. While the pilot reported maintaining a very low taxi speed, the wingman observed the wing tip approaching the vehicle. The marshaller, focused on the aircraft's nose wheel, attempted to signal a stop only after the impact had already occurred. A witness located 200 meters away noted that the aircraft appeared to be moving at a quick pace, though visibility of the ground crew was obscured by nearby equipment.

The investigation

The investigation examined the positioning of ground vehicles and the coordination between the ground crew. It was established that construction work nearby had rendered an adjacent stand (Stand 31) unusable for aircraft due to the risk of foreign object damage, leading an operator to use that area for parking buses. Consequently, five buses were parked in the vicinity, some of which encroached upon the boundaries of Stand 32.

Investigators also reviewed the training records of the ground staff, noting that both the marshaller and wingman had completed various ramp safety and aircraft marshalling courses earlier that year. The investigation focused on the communication between the wingman, who was positioned near the buses, and the marshaller, who was responsible for directing the aircraft.

Findings

The primary cause of the collision was that passenger buses were parked within the operational limits of Stand 32.
The ground crew failed to exercise sufficient caution given the known presence of vehicles in the taxi path.
The marshaller did not ensure the stand was clear of all parked equipment before signaling the aircraft to proceed.
The wingman, while initially noticing the proximity of the wing tip to the bus, did not provide a timely stop signal to the marshaller.