What happened
On 3 April 2019, an Airbus A3/20-214, registration G-EZWC, was undergoing pushback from Stand 18 at Belfast International Airport for a scheduled passenger flight to Malaga. During the maneuver, which was being conducted in rainy conditions, the aircraft was positioned at a significant angle to the tug and tow bar.
As the aircraft was being moved, the tow bar disconnected from the nose landing gear. Because the engines were running at idle power and the aircraft was facing downslope, the aircraft began to roll forward. The flight crew, believing the aircraft was still under tow, did not apply the wheel brakes due to standard operating procedures intended to protect the nose landing gear. The aircraft eventually struck the tug, causing damage to the underside of the fuselage, the nose landing gear, a tyre, the leading edge of the right wing, and the No 2 engine nacelle. There were no fatalities and no injuries among the 180 passengers or 6 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events, the ground handling procedures, and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Investigators reviewed cockpit voice and flight data recorder information, as well as airport CCTV.
It was established that the tug driver had difficulty identifying the taxi line due to the wet, reflective surface of the apron. This led to a late turn towards the designated position. Furthermore, the tug was operating in a high gear, which made maneuvering the heavy aircraft difficult. The investigation also noted that there was no direct radio communication between the tug driver and the headset operator, and the aircraft was near its maximum all-up weight.