What happened
On September 18, 2016, an Airbus A3PT was taxiing for takeoff at Warsaw Chopin Airport when its left wingtip struck the vertical stabilizer of a parked Saab 340. The collision resulted in damage to the vertical stabilizer of the stationary aircraft. There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident.
During the taxi sequence, the Tower controller provided the A320 crew with correct taxi instructions. Although the crew read back the instructions correctly, they subsequently established communication with the Tower again without using their callsign, repeating the taxi clearance intended for a different aircraft. The Tower controller then repeated the correct taxi clearance for the A320. Despite receiving the correct instructions, the crew executed a turn onto an incorrect taxiway, following a "W" shaped path instead of a "U" shaped path. The width of this incorrect path was insufficient to accommodate the wingspan of the A320, leading to the contact with the parked aircraft.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined radio communications between the Tower controller, the ground movement coordinator, and the A320 crew. The investigation also included a review of CCTV footage and airport signage documentation. The investigation established that the airport's horizontal and vertical markings were correct and that weather conditions did not contribute to the event. The investigation also confirmed that the Tower controller's instructions and the subsequent readback by the crew were initially correct, but identified that the crew's decision to follow an incorrect route was the primary factor.
Findings
- The airport's taxiway markings and signage were correct and visible.
- Atmospheric conditions were not a factor in the occurrence.
- The Tower controller issued the correct taxi instructions.
- The crew's decision to taxi via an incorrect route led to the collision.
- The width of the taxiway used by the A320 was insufficient for its wingspan.