What happened
On 7 March 1999, at approximately 19:10 UTC, an Airbus A300B4-622R, registration F-OIHA, was undergoing a pushback procedure from Stand H5 at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft, which was operating a public transport flight, was being moved from its parking position when the nose of the aircraft made contact with an air starter trolley.
As a result of the impact, the forward fuselage of the aircraft was punctured. There were 10 crew members and 140 passengers on board at the time of the incident, but no injuries were reported to the crew or the passengers.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the ground movement and the state of the stand area. The pilot reported that the area around Stand H5 was heavily congested with equipment and vehicles. Furthermore, the investigation established that the pushback maneuver was being conducted at a high rate of speed.