What happened
On 25 November 2015, an Etihad Airways Airbus A320-232, registration A6-EIY, arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport from Karachi. While passengers were in the process of disembarking via external steps, a Medical Hi Loader (MHL) was being positioned to the aircraft's R1 door to assist a sick passenger. During this maneuver, the MHL struck the aircraft near the R1 door, resulting in a significant skin puncture and several dents to the fuselage. The impact was violent enough to cause the aircraft to move laterally, causing some passengers on the stairs to lose their balance, though no injuries were reported. The aircraft was subsequently moved to a hangar for repairs as the damage exceeded structural repair manual limits.
The investigation
Investigators examined the actions of the MHL operator and the circumstances surrounding the vehicle's movement. It was established that the operator, who was primarily assigned to drive passenger buses, had been reassigned to the MHL for that shift. Although the operator had completed training, he lacked recent experience, having only operated the MHL once in the previous months. Furthermore, the operator had requested supervision, but a line trainer instead advised him to call via mobile phone if difficulties arose.
During the approach to the aircraft, the operator mistakenly depressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal. This error was attributed to the physical differences between the pedals of the Cobus bus and the MHL. Additionally, the investigation found that a Passenger Service Agent, who had no formal training in airside marshalling, was attempting to guide the vehicle to the door.
Findings
- The primary cause was an organizational deficiency where an operator lacked the necessary experience, recency, and confidence to operate the MHL independently.
- The operator's sudden acceleration was caused by misidentifying the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal due to pedal spacing differences between different ground vehicles.
- The line trainer failed to provide the requested supervision, leaving an inexperienced operator to manage a complex task alone.
- An untrained staff member was performing marshalling duties without proper airside safety instruction.
- There were discrepancies in the driver's permit process, as permits were issued even when the underlying UAE driving licenses did not match the vehicle classification.
Safety action
- The GCAA AAIS recommended that airport authorities exercise stricter oversight of ground handling agents to ensure they establish robust safety management systems.
- Recommendations were made to ensure that procedures for issuing apron driving permits align with the correct vehicle classifications on UAE driving licenses.
- The investigation suggested that handling agents must conduct thorough risk assessments of their loading and offloading procedures and include specific safety reporting requirements in their contracts.