What happened
The incident occurred while an airplane was being pushed back from the gate. During this maneuver, the aircraft collided with a parked and unoccupied Bombardier CL-65 that was stationary at a nearby position. The collision resulted in significant structural damage to the de Havilland aircraft involved.
Specifically, the elevator of the Bombardier CL-65 sliced through the rudder of the de Havilland. The accident was attributed to the actions of a ground agent who was responsible for pushing the de Havilland away from the gate. This individual failed to clear the designated 30-foot turn line before initiating the turn.
As the ground agent continued to push the tail of the de Havilland, the aircraft swung into the path of the parked Bombardier. The operator of the de Havilland later noted that this accident could have been prevented if the ground agent had properly monitored wing walkers during the pushback and ensured the turn line was clear before turning the airplane.
The investigation
Analysis of the event focused on the ground operations and spatial awareness during the pushback procedure. Investigators examined the position of the parked Bombardier CL-65 and the trajectory of the de Havilland as it left the gate. The mechanical examination confirmed that the primary damage was limited to the rudder of the de Havilland, which had been sliced through by the elevator of the stationary CL-65.
Findings
The contributing factors to this accident included:
- Failure to clear the turn line: The ground agent did not ensure the 30-foot turn line was clear before turning the aircraft.
- Inadequate monitoring: The ground agent failed to watch wing walkers during the pushback process.
- Spatial awareness error: The tail of the de Havilland was pushed into the path of the parked Bombardier CL-65.
The operator concluded that strict adherence to pushback protocols, specifically regarding wing walker communication and turn line clearance, would have prevented this collision.