Incident Overview
On Wednesday, 27 October 2010, at 16:35 local time, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 (registration EI-EBR) was involved in a jet blast incident at Seville Airport (Spain). The aircraft, equipped with two CFM56-7 engines, was parked at stand 10 and had started its engines for taxi. The crew had requested taxi clearance. At the same time, a group of passengers was being escorted by two operators to board another Ryanair aircraft at stand 11 via a designated walkway protected by jet blast barriers. The walkway had gaps to allow access to the aircraft.
Aircraft and Crew
The Boeing 737-8AS (serial number 37530) is a twin-engine jet transport. The flight crew consisted of a 43-year-old captain with an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), 8,232 total flight hours (4,919 on type), and a 29-year-old first officer with a Commercial Pilot License (CPL), 561 total flight hours (410 on type). Both had adequate rest prior to duty.
Sequence of Events
When the aircraft began to taxi, the boarding of the second aircraft was interrupted. Passengers were instructed to remain behind the jet blast barriers at point 2 (as identified in Figure 1 of the report). However, the jet blast from the departing aircraft impacted some passengers, throwing them to the ground. According to witness statements, passengers reported a strong gust of air that caused them to fall. The captain of the departing aircraft was unaware of the incident and continued taxiing normally. The quick access recorder showed that at the start of taxi, the left engine N1 was 39% and the right engine N1 was 38.3%.
Injuries and Damage
One passenger suffered a fractured arm (broken elbow). Two other passengers reported neck and back pain, and one had a cut finger. No fatalities or serious injuries were recorded. The aircraft and third-party property sustained no damage.
Meteorological and Operational Context
At the time, wind was variable at 2 knots, visibility exceeded 10 km, and there were no clouds. The airport's AIP stated that autonomous exit maneuvers should be carried out at minimum regime required to initiate taxiing. The operator's Ground Operations Manual specified that breakaway thrust should be kept to a minimum, typically 30-35% N1.
Post-Event Actions
Following the incident, the operator issued a Safety Notice on 6 December 2010, outlining passenger boarding and disembarking procedures for Seville Airport. A subsequent memo in January 2011 revised the procedure, requiring that passengers boarding at stands 11 or 12 stop at least 3 meters behind the aircraft access point when an aircraft on stand 10 requests taxi clearance. The airport also closed the affected apron access point by installing additional jet blast barriers.