What happened
On 12th March 1999, a BAe 146, registration EI-CLI, was parked at Stand 24 of Dublin Airport during a transit flight from Paris to Cork. While the aircraft was stationary, a cleaning vehicle approached the aircraft from the rear. The driver of the truck intended to park the vehicle on the port side, forward of the aircraft, but chose a path that involved crossing the taxilane and red boundary lines to avoid blocking the path of transit passengers exiting from the front.
As the truck passed the aircraft, the upper right side of the vehicle struck the port aileron. The impact damaged the aileron tip, removed the outboard static discharger, and created a 3x1 inch hole in the aileron surface. The driver stopped the vehicle immediately after hearing a bang and reported the contact to the aircraft engineer. Following an inspection, the crew and engineer determined the aircraft was unserviceable.
The investigation
The investigation examined the maneuvers of the cleaning crew and the environmental conditions at the time. It was noted that the driver was using the aircraft's red wing light as a guide because there were no visible ground markings to assist with navigation. The investigation also looked into the operational environment of the apron, noting that ongoing construction at the airport had altered the layout of the stands and created a more congested area.
Investigators found that the driver and supervisor had deviated from established procedures by approaching the aircraft from the rear rather than using the designated service roads. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the practice of vehicles crossing the taxilane boundary lines was common in this specific area due to the reconfiguration of the stands caused by the building programme.
Findings
- The driver and shift supervisor decided to approach the aircraft from the rear, which increased the risk of collision.
- The driver failed to maintain sufficient clearance between the cleaning truck and the aircraft wing.
- The driver crossed the taxilane boundary lines, in violation of both Airport Directives and the aircraft operator's manual.
- The area around Stand 24 had become highly congested and restrictive due to the ongoing airport building programme.
- There was a lack of visible ground markings or temporary guidelines to assist servicing vehicles in the altered apron layout.
- The driver used the aircraft's own wing light as a navigational guide due to the absence of clear pavement markings.