Incident Overview
On 4 January 2020, at 1416 hrs UTC, a Learjet 31 (registration N127VL) and a Cessna T206H (registration N35014) were involved in a ground handling incident at Terence B Lettsome Airport, British Virgin Islands. The Learjet was operating a commercial air transport (passenger) flight, while the Cessna was on a private flight. No persons were on board the Cessna, and the Learjet had two crew members with no passengers. The Learjet sustained no damage, and the Cessna incurred a small tear on its rudder trailing edge.
Sequence of Events
After landing on Runway 07, the Learjet followed ATC instructions to the parking apron. Weather conditions were clear with a dry ground surface and a brisk wind from the north-east. Several rows of aircraft were parked, all facing east. Two individuals wearing yellow vests were visible at the end of the last row of parked aircraft, whom the flight crew understood to be ground staff responsible for marshalling the aircraft into position.
The crew followed the ground staff’s signals, which directed them between two rows of aircraft. When N127VL reached the end of the yellow centreline, the ground staff directed the aircraft to make a turn behind a single-engine Cessna aircraft. One ground staff member stood at the right wingtip, next to the Cessna, while the other moved to the front of the Learjet.
Damage and Inspection
During the turn, the right-seat pilot sensed contact between the Learjet and the Cessna. The crew stopped the aircraft, shut it down, and inspected both aircraft. The Cessna’s rudder had a tear approximately one inch long on the trailing edge, where the Learjet’s winglet had made contact. The winglet itself showed no damage. A diagram in the report illustrated the relative positions of the two aircraft and the location of the damage.
Flight Crew Comments
The commander noted that in a swept-wing aircraft, the flight crew cannot determine wingtip clearance and therefore must rely on ground staff to ensure a safe clearance is maintained.