What happened
On September 13, 2024, at 12:54 LMT, an Airbus A320, registration ZA-ASM, was undergoing ground handling at EPZG following a flight from LATI. The aircraft was scheduled for a subsequent leg to EPRZ. During the ground turnaround, passenger stairs were positioned at the forward entrance, leveled to the aircraft's current fuselage height based on its existing weight and balance.
As passengers disembarked at EPZG, baggage was simultaneously being unloaded from rear cargo holds 3 and 4. Because a significant number of passengers (109) remained on board for the transit to EPRZ and were seated in the rear of the cabin, the aircraft's center of gravity shifted, causing the nose to lift. The crew responded by raising the level of the passenger stairs to maintain alignment with the door.
During the subsequent boarding of passengers for the flight to LATI, the distribution of weight shifted again, causing the nose of the aircraft to descend. The crew did not adjust the stair height in response to this downward movement. Consequently, the fuselage settled onto the stairs, pinning them in place and preventing them from being moved. There were no injuries resulting from the incident, and airport operations were not disrupted.
The investigation
The investigation analyzed the Load Distribution Message (LDM) from LATI, which confirmed that 109 passengers were staying on board for EPRZ, while only 6/66 passengers were disembarking at EPZG. The investigation examined the sequence of weight shifts caused by the specific seating arrangement and the simultaneous unloading of rear cargo.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was improper passenger planning and distribution, which led to an imbalance of the aircraft during ground operations.
- A lack of continuous monitoring of the aircraft's weight and balance during the boarding and deboarding processes contributed to the event.
- The crew misinterpreted the changing aircraft attitude, which prevented the implementation of appropriate corrective actions.
Safety action
Following the incident, airport management implemented several preventive measures, including:
- Reviewing and modifying training programs for ground handling personnel, with a specific focus on aircraft weight and balance.
- Issuing a safety bulletin to standardize communication and improve decision-making between ground staff and flight crews.
- Purchasing protective cushions to shield passenger stairs from structural damage in the event of similar occurrences.