What happened
On 19 April 2014, an Embraer 190, registration F-HBLF, was preparing for a commercial flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Clermont-Ferrand. During the departure sequence from stand J10, the crew requested pushback approval from the De Gaulle Traffic frequency. To expedite the movement of another aircraft at the adjacent stand, the apron management services agent instructed the crew to perform a "push-pull" maneuver. This involved pushing the aircraft facing east and then using a tug to pull the aircraft south toward taxiway E7.
As the engines were started and stabilized at ground idle, the tug attempted to reposition the aircraft onto the taxiway centerline. To achieve the necessary 90-degree turn, the tug driver positioned the tug at a sharp angle relative to the aircraft's axis. During this maneuver, the safety cotter pins on the tow bar coupling head failed. Due to the combined effect of the aircraft's forward inertia and the thrust from the engines at idle, the Embraer 190 continued moving straight until the coupling head hit its limit, causing the aircraft to pivot and collide with the tug. The collision resulted in severe damage to the lower part of the fuselage, though no injuries were reported among the 98 passengers or the 5 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the deviation from established ground handling procedures at stand J10. While "push-pull" maneuvers are common at other stands to manage traffic flow and minimize jet blast, the specific operating instructions for stand J10 explicitly prohibited pulling the aircraft forward after an eastbound pushback. Investigators examined the history of ground operations at the terminal, noting that similar incidents involving tow bar failures and collisions had occurred at this location in 2008 and 2009.
Findings
- The apron management services agent requested a maneuver that was specifically prohibited by the station's operations manual.
- The driver of the tug followed the agent's instructions without questioning the deviation from standard procedure.
- The primary cause of the collision was the use of a prohibited "push-pull" maneuver, which required the tug to operate at an excessive angle relative to the aircraft.
- This extreme angle placed undue stress on the tow bar, leading to the failure of the safety cotter pins.
- The lack of clear communication regarding the specific reasons for the ban at stand J10 likely contributed to the agent's decision to request the non-standard procedure.