What happened
On 10 January 2018, a Boeing 737, registration 9H-BBJ, arrived at Bristol Airport on a positioning flight from Luton Airport. The aircraft, carrying six crew members and no passengers, was taxiing toward the Southern parking area under the guidance of ground personnel.
As the aircraft proceeded, it was being directed by a marshaller positioned ahead of the aircraft and a wingman located to the left, behind the tail of a parked Embraer 145LR, registration G-CISK. During the maneuver, the wingman signaled for the aircraft to stop; however, the delay in braking caused the left winglet of the Boeing 737 to strike the rear strobe housing of the parked Embraer 145LR. The collision resulted in minor damage to the winglet of the larger aircraft and damage to the tail section of the Embraer. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
Investigations were conducted by both the aircraft operator and the airport authority, utilizing CCTV footage and reports from the flight crew. The inquiries examined the positioning of ground staff, the accuracy of clearance calculations, and the movement of the aircraft.
Review of the CCTV footage revealed that the marshaller continued to signal the aircraft forward even after the wingman had signaled to stop. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the parked Embraer 145LR was positioned short of its designated stop, which placed it closer to the taxiway than intended. The investigation also highlighted that the wingman's specific position behind the tail of the parked aircraft obstructed his ability to identify the lack of clearance in time to prevent the impact.