What happened
On the morning of 23 June 2005, a Bombardier CL-600-2B16 (registration C-FSJR) arrived at Dublin Airport following a transatlantic flight from Canada. The aircraft, carrying three crew members and four passengers, was directed by Air Traffic Control to the Light Aircraft Park Bravo on the North Apron.
As the flight crew approached the parking area, they encountered a congested environment. Guided by a ground marshaller, the aircraft performed a series of turns to navigate between rows of parked aircraft. While maneuvering between a Cessna Citation and a parked Gates Learjet 45 (registration G-OLDR), the pilot attempted to navigate a narrow passage. As the aircraft came to a stop, the starboard winglet of the C-FS0JR made contact with the tail cone of the G-OLDR. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew, and no fire resulted from the impact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the physical layout of the parking area and the procedures in place at the time. It was noted that the C-FSJR has a wingspan of 19.61 metres, while the taxi lane width was approximately 20 metres. The investigation found that the G-OLDR was parked in a manner that caused its empennage to protrude approximately two metres into the taxi lane.
Furthermore, investigators discovered that while yellow taxi lines were still visible in the parking area, they were no longer officially in use. There was also a lack of established criteria for determining which aircraft categories were suitable for use within the Light Aircraft Park Bravo.