What happened
On 30 April 2018, a Boeing 737-8AS, registration EI-GDZ, was undergoing pushback from stand 43L at London Stansted Airport. The flight, operating as commercial air transport with 170 passengers and 7 crew members, had received instructions to push back and hold abeam stand 50R without starting the engines.
During the maneuver, the tug driver struggled to identify the taxiway markings due to heavy rain, strong winds, and standing water on the apron. As the aircraft approached the end of the pushback, the tail section made contact with a blast fence. The impact caused damage to the trailing edge of the left elevator. While the groundcrew initially believed the aircraft had not struck anything, the cabin crew reported a sensation of impact to the flight deck. Following an inspection by an engineer and the airport fire service, the aircraft was deemed safe to move and was towed to stand 50L for passenger disembarkation. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined CCTV footage, which revealed that the aircraft moved laterally as the tug driver attempted to follow the obscured taxi line. The investigation also reviewed the actions of the groundcrew, noting that the headset operator was in a training period and was being assessed by the tug driver.
Findings
- The tug driver's view of the taxiway markings was severely compromised by poor visibility and surface water reflecting airport lights.
- The tug driver's position inside the vehicle prevented him from feeling the impact or monitoring the rear of the aircraft.
- The headset operator misunderstood the instruction to stop 'abeam' stand 50R, incorrectly believing the stopping point was determined by the alignment of the pilot's window rather than the stand itself.
- The headset operator failed to stop the pushback despite the proximity of the blast fence.