What happened
On June 20, 2017, an incident occurred at Warsaw Chopin Airport (AD EPWA) involving a CRJ-900 aircraft parked at a stand. While ground personnel were positioning a tug and trailer set to service the aircraft's baggage compartment, the vehicle struck the left wing of the aircraft. The impact caused damage to the trailing edge of the wing. Following the collision, the flight crew, airport duty officers, and the airline representative were notified. Upon inspection, the crew determined that the damage was significant enough to prevent the aircraft from proceeding with its scheduled flight.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the ground service equipment (GSE) involved in the maneuver was fully operational and possessed valid technical inspections. The employee operating the equipment was properly trained and held the necessary authorizations to operate GSE and perform aircraft servicing tasks at the stand. The investigation also verified that the operator's existing procedures and operating instructions adequately addressed the rules for safe aircraft handling at stands and within limited infrastructure.
Findings
The primary cause of the incident was a failure to exercise adequate caution while maneuvering ground equipment within the constrained infrastructure of the airport apron.
Safety action
Following the incident, the employer took several corrective measures. Disciplinary actions were taken regarding the involved employee, and refresher training was conducted focusing on the operation of electric and combustion-powered tugs using standard IATA hand signals. Furthermore, the operator issued two new documents—a bulletin containing graphical positioning guides and an updated operating instruction—to standardize the positioning of tug-trailer sets and the placement of signal persons. The incident is also being reviewed during daily ground handling briefings, and all company departments have been notified. Evidence from the investigation, including photographs and CCTV footage, is being integrated into basic and recurrent training programs.