What happened
On 28 September 2022, at approximately 18:50 UTC, a collision occurred at London Heathrow Airport involving two commercial passenger aircraft. A Boeing 757-256, registration TF-FIK, had arrived at Terminal 2B and was attempting to park at Stand 241. Because the visual docking guidance system (VDGS) was inactive, the crew stopped the aircraft roughly 20 metres short of the final parking position. The crew did not notify Air Traffic Control (ATC) that they were not fully parked, as they were awaiting ground staff to assist.
Simultably, a Boeing 777-300(ER), registration HL-7782, was taxiing from Terminal 4 for takeoff. As the aircraft turned from Taxiway Alpha onto Taxiway Lima, the crew observed the TF-FIK protruding from its stand. However, the commander of the HL-7782 believed the aircraft was fully parked because the anti-collision lights on the TF-FIK were not visible from the flight deck, and the ATC clearance and green taxiway lights suggested the path was clear. As the HL-7782 passed, its left wingtip struck the rudder of the TF-FIK. The collision resulted in no fatalities or injuries, but caused damage to the left wingtip of the HL-7782 and the rudder of the TF-FIK.
The investigation
The AAIB examined flight data recorders, cockpit voice recorders, and airport CCTV. The investigation established that the TF-FIK crew had turned onto the stand centerline without waiting for guidance, which contradicted Heathrow's Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) instructions. The investigation also found that while the HL-7782 crew noticed the protrusion, they relied on the absence of anti-collision lights and the ATC clearance to justify proceeding.
Further inquiries into ground operations revealed that staff shortages, caused by a tunnel closure affecting access to the central area, had delayed the arrival of ground handling agents. This lack of available personnel contributed to the VDGS being inactive upon the TF-FIK's arrival. Additionally, the investigation noted that the ATC ground controller could not see the specific parking stand from the tower and had no way of knowing the aircraft was protruding into the taxiway.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was the commander of the HL-7782 continuing to taxi past the protruding TF-FIK, under the mistaken belief that the route was clear.
- The commander of the TF-FIK failed to follow the Heathrow AIP procedure, which requires aircraft to hold on the taxiway centerline and notify ATC if the VDGS is unavailable.
- The initiating event was a lack of active stand guidance, driven by ground staff shortages.
- The TF-FIK crew did not use the ground frequency to inform ATC of their position, despite available gaps in radio transmissions.
- The visibility of the TF-FIK's anti-collision lights was obscured from the HL-7782 flight deck, leading the crew to assume the aircraft was stationary and fully parked.