What happened
On 6 April 2024, a ground maneuvering incident occurred at London Heathrow Airport involving two large aircraft. The Boeing 787-9, registration G-VDIA, was being pushed back from Stand 323 to be repositioned to a different stand. During this operation, the aircraft's left wingtip made contact with the right horizontal stabilizer of an Airbus A350-1041, registration G-XWBC, which was parked at the adjacent Stand 325 and was in the process of boarding 107 passengers and 14 crew.
The pushback involved a tug driver, a headset operator, and a crew member acting as a brake-rider in the cockpit. As the aircraft was being moved, the turn intended to enter the taxiway was initiated prematurely. This movement caused the left wing to sweep over a crosshatched area between the two stands. Although the pushback had briefly paused to allow for the removal of ground equipment from this area, the subsequent resumption of the maneuver led to the collision. There were no injuries to the crew or passengers, though both aircraft sustained structural damage.
The investigation
The investigation, which included an internal inquiry by the aircraft operator, established that the wingspan of G-VDIA was within the allowable limits for its stand, as was the positioning of G-XWBC. However, the operator's investigation found that the turn into the taxiway was executed too early, causing the wing to enter a zone that should have remained clear of obstructions.
Crucially, the investigation revealed that the ground handling agent was not utilizing wing walkers, which was a direct violation of the aircraft operator's established procedures. While the airport operator's standards did not mandate wing walkers for this specific stand, the aircraft operator's own safety protocols required them for such maneuvers. The investigation noted that a wing walker positioned on the left side of the aircraft would likely have identified the risk and halted the movement before the strike occurred.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was that the pushback turn was initiated too early.
- The ground handling agent failed to follow the aircraft operator's requirement to use wing walkers during the operation.
- The presence of a wing walker on the left side of the aircraft would likely have prevented the contact.
- The pushback maneuver was conducted with reduced safety margins due to the lack of external observers.
Safety action
Following the incident, the aircraft operator issued a safety alert to reinforce the mandatory use of wing walkers during all pushback and towing operations. The airport operator also released an Aerodrome Safety Alert, advising ground crews to stop and reassess if safety is in doubt, to consider the use of wing walkers when visibility is obscured, and to ensure all hatched areas remain clear of equipment.