What happened
On 14 April 2012, an Airbus A300B4-622R(F), registration D-AEAP, was performing a scheduled cargo flight from East Midlands Airport to Paris Charles De Gaulle. During the pushback process, the ground crew encountered difficulty disconnecting the towbar from the tug. Once the connection was eventually severed, the headset operator moved to reposition the towbar, while the tug driver began driving forward to retrieve the towbar pin.
At 1753 hrs, the pilot flying requested taxi clearance from Air Traffic Control and increased power to begin movement. As the aircraft taxied forward, it struck the rear left side of the tug. The aircraft travelled approximately 8 metres before coming to a halt. There were no injuries to the three crew members on board or the two ground personnel involved.
The investigation
Investigators examined CCTV footage, flight data recorder (FDR) information, and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The FDR analysis allowed for the calculation of the aircraft's speed at the moment of impact, which was approximately 4.7 knots. The investigation also assessed the visibility from the flight deck, noting that the aircraft's structure significantly restricts the pilot's view of the ground directly in front of the nose.
Findings
- The nose landing gear drag strut and steering actuator sustained damage, and a drag strut attachment pin sheared during the impact.
- The tug sustained minor damage to its bodywork.
- The pilot failed to verify that the ground crew and equipment were clear before initiating taxi movement.
- The aircraft's After Start checklist did not include a specific requirement to confirm receipt of a hand signal from the ground crew.
- The pilot's attention was likely diverted by the completion of the After Start scan and checklist, which took longer than usual due to corrections from the pilot not flying.
- The ground crew and tug were not visible to the flight crew from the cockpit at the time the aircraft began to move.
Safety action
Following the incident, the operator reviewed its operating procedures and introduced a revised After Start checklist. This new checklist now includes a specific final check to confirm that a hand signal has been received from the ground crew.