What happened
On the evening of 7 November 2021, an Airbus 320-216, registration 9M-AJN, arrived at Kuching International Airport from Sibu. After the aircraft had parked at Bay 1 and the engines were shut down, the passenger boarding bridge (PBB) was connected to the aircraft to allow passengers to disembark.
During the disembarkation process, a sudden lateral and vertical jolt was felt, accompanied by the activation of the PBB alarm. The cabin crew immediately halted the movement of passengers. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the lower edge skin of the forward passenger door had come into contact with the metal safety shoe of the PBB, resulting in a tear in the aircraft's skin.
The investigation
The Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Malaysia examined the incident, which involved no injuries to the 136 persons on board. The investigation focused on the interaction between the PBB and the aircraft door. Investigators found that the PBB operator was not on standby at the bridge at the moment the incident occurred, and initial attempts to communicate via walkie-talkie were unsuccessful because the operator was not immediately contactable and the PBB intercom was inoperative.
During the recovery process, the PBB operator initially attempted to retract the bridge backward while the safety shoe was still in contact with the door, which caused a loud clicking sound. The aircraft captain intervened, instructing the operator to retract the bridge downward before moving it backward, which successfully detached the structure without further damage.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was the contact between the PBB safety shoe metal structure and the lower edge skin of the forward passenger door.
- The PBB operator was not present at the bridge at the time disembarkation began.
- Communication difficulties occurred because the PBB operator could not be reached via walkie-talkie and the intercom system was non-functional.
- A "Level Fault" was observed on the PBB's LCD touch screen display when the alarm was triggered.
Safety action
Following the incident, the AAIB recommended a temporary suspension of operations for PBB Bay 1 until a thorough inspection by the manufacturer's local contractor could be completed. Subsequent testing of the PBB's safety features, including the bumper limit switch and auto-leveller, confirmed the system was in serviceable condition. The aircraft underwent temporary repairs by the operator's engineering team and later received permanent repairs to return to airworthy service.