What happened
On 05 January 2018, a Boeing 737-800 operated by WestJet Airlines arrived at Toronto-Lester B. Pearson International Airport from Cancun. While waiting on taxi-lane 2 at Terminal 3 for ground assistance, the aircraft remained stationary with its engines and auxiliary power unit (APU) active.
Simultaneously, a Sunwing Airlines Inc. Boeing 737-800 was positioned at Gate B13, undergoing preparations for a tow to an alternate infield location. A maintenance technician was present in the cockpit of the Sunwing aircraft, and the APU was running. Following radio instructions from the North Apron Communications Officer, ground personnel from Swissport International began the pushback procedure.
As the Sunwing aircraft moved backward, its APU made contact with the right wing of the stationary WestJet aircraft. The impact triggered a rapid fire.
The investigation
The investigation established that the WestJet flight crew initiated emergency evacuation procedures, leading to an official evacuation order. During the incident, the operator of the Swissport tow vehicle maneuvered the Sunwing aircraft back toward the gate to separate the two planes and mitigate the fire.
All passengers aboard the WestJet aircraft were successfully evacuated via the front and rear left doors, the front right door, and the left-side over-wing exits. The maintenance technician on the Sunwing aircraft escaped through the left cockpit window using an emergency rope, resulting in minor injuries.
Airport rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) teams responded to the scene and extinguished the flames. The Sunwing aircraft suffered substantial damage as a result of the collision and fire.