What happened
On November 30, 2015, an incident occurred at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA) during a pushback maneuver. An Airbus A321 was being pushed from parking stand number 17 when the procedure had to be suspended. The interruption was caused by an airport service vehicle that failed to yield the right of way to the aircraft during the movement.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the movement of vehicles on the maneuvering area and the adherence to established traffic protocols. The inquiry established that the service vehicle did not follow the prescribed rules for maneuvering area transit and failed to comply with the specific instructions regarding vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the airport.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was driver error, specifically the failure of the vehicle operator to observe airport maneuvering area regulations.
- The operator did not adhere to the established instructions for vehicle and pedestrian movement within the airport perimeter.