What happened
On July 14, 2024, at approximately 17:47 UTC, an Airbus 320-214, registration 9H-VDS, was undergoing preparations for a commercial flight from A Coruña Airport to Gran Canaria. Following the completion of pre-flight preparations, the aircraft was being pushed back from parking stand 3 by a ground assistance team consisting of a coordinator and two agents.
After the pushback maneuver to the taxiway was completed, the coordinator instructed the flight crew to engage the aircraft's parking brake to allow for the disconnection of the towbar. Although the crew confirmed the brake was set, the ground agent responsible for the towbar was unable to disconnect it from the tractor. In an attempt to alleviate the tension on the connection, the agents attempted to move the tractor, but the towbar remained stuck.
To resolve the issue, the team requested that the flight crew release the parking brake to allow for better alignment of the tractor and towbar. During the process, the agent operating the tractor swapped positions with the second agent. The first agent then moved to the aircraft end of the towbar to attempt a manual disconnection. Once the agent successfully disconnected the towbar from the Airbus 320-214, the aircraft began to move forward unexpectedly. In the movement, the aircraft's nose gear ran over the leg of the agent, resulting in serious injuries to the individual.
Ground personnel and airport staff managed to free the agent's leg before medical services, the Civil Guard, and emergency responders arrived at the scene.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation is currently focused on the operations of the ground assistance team, the level of coordination during the towing procedure, and the specific protocols and equipment utilized by the ground handling company during aircraft towing operations.