Aircraft and Flight Details
G-JECK, a DHC-8-402 manufactured in 2005, and G-SAJS, an EMB-145EP manufactured in 2001, were involved in a ground collision on 16 June 2020 at Aberdeen International Airport. G-JECK was to be flown empty from Aberdeen to Weeze Airport, Germany, on a non-revenue commercial air transport flight. It had been stored in Aberdeen since mid-March 2020 and was parked on a self-manoeuvring stand with a 1° slope. G-SAJS was parked on an adjacent stand with no crew on board.
Pre-Departure Events
The pilots had not flown since the beginning of March 2020. They arrived early to conduct two separate walkaround inspections. During pre-departure preparations, the wheel chocks were removed from the mainwheels and nosewheels by a ground handler (dispatcher) and a representative of the aircraft owner. The pilots did not authorize chock removal and were unaware that all chocks had been removed. About 45 minutes later, while the pilots were completing the load sheet, the representative noticed G-JECK beginning to move.
Collision
The pilots applied toe brakes and cycled the park brake lever, but the aircraft continued to roll. The commander observed that the park brake hydraulic system pressure on the multi-function display read 0 psi. The aircraft accelerated across Taxiway D toward G-SAJS. Ground personnel attempted to stop the aircraft by pushing against its landing gear and nose but were unsuccessful. G-JECK struck the underside of G-SAJS’s right engine at about 5 kt, lifting its right landing gear. The engine of G-SAJS came to rest on top of G-JECK’s forward fuselage.
Aftermath
There were no injuries. G-JECK sustained damage to the forward fuselage and windscreen; G-SAJS had a dented right engine nacelle. The pilots shut down G-JECK and disembarked as airport rescue and firefighting arrived. Safety action was taken by the Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft operator, the maintenance organisation, the ground handling company, and the airport operator concerning the removal of wheel chocks during pre-flight preparation.