What happened
On 3 December 2014, a Boeing 737-8AS, registration EI-EXF, was parked at London Stansted Airport following a passenger flight. After all passengers had disembarked, a baggage tractor approached the forward cargo hold to begin the process of offloading luggage. During this maneuver, the tractor made contact with the aircraft, resulting in dents and scrapes to the lower right-hand side of the forward fuselage skin. The damage spanned a length of approximately 1.5 metres, extending forward from the cargo hold bay. The impact was significant enough to be felt by the crew on board. Following the incident, the aircraft was withdrawn from commercial service for several days to undergo necessary repairs.
The investigation
Investigators from the ground handling company conducted an internal review to determine how the collision occurred. The inquiry established that the driver of the tractor attempted to start the offloading process without the use of a belt loader vehicle and without the assistance of a second person. The company's established safety protocols mandate that a belt loader must be utilized and that a safety person must be present to monitor the area whenever a vehicle approaches within three metres of an aircraft. In this instance, these safety requirements were bypassed. The driver's attempt to deviate from procedure was motivated by a desire to speed up the offloading process because the flight had arrived earlier than scheduled.
Findings
- The primary cause of the contact was the failure to follow established ground handling safety procedures.
- The tractor driver attempted to expedite the offloading of baggage to compensate for an early arrival.
- The driver operated the vehicle without the required belt loader or the presence of a safety spotter.
- The incident involved no injuries to the crew and no passengers were on board at the time of the impact.