What happened
An aircraft had just arrived at its gate when a refueling truck, positioned at a 45-degree angle to the lead-in line on the right side of the plane, moved forward and struck the aircraft near the nose gear. At the time of the collision, the jet bridge had not yet been positioned. The force of the impact pushed the airplane several feet to the left.
Witnesses reported the truck was traveling at a speed between 20 and 30 miles per hour, with one observer noting it appeared to be traveling "a little too fast." While the aircraft had reached the gate, at least 20 passengers who had stood up upon arrival were thrown about during the impact. The driver of the refueling truck was found in a dazed state following the accident and reported that he did not remember the collision, stating he believed he had blacked out.
Findings
A medical and sleep study evaluation of the truck driver revealed that he suffered from severe obstructive sleep apnea and significant hypersomnolence. It was also noted that the same driver had been involved in a separate occurrence in October 1999, during which he reported dosing off just prior to the collision.