What happened
On 19 March 2000, an Airbus A320-211, registered CS-TNG, was parked at Stand F8, Terminal 2, at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a public transport operation and had recently arrived at its designated stand. During the period following its arrival, a box van was navigating the interstand clearway, an area that was experiencing heavy congestion from various vehicles. As the driver of the van attempted to maneuver through the crowded area, the vehicle's top left corner collided with the aircraft's right wing tip fence.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the ground movement of the van and the environmental conditions at the time of the impact. The investigation established that the driver of the box van was operating the vehicle through a congested section of the airport's stand area. The inquiry focused on the visibility conditions and the movement of the vehicle relative to the stationary aircraft.
Findings
- The collision occurred while the Airbus A320-211 was stationary at the stand.
- The driver of the box van reported being momentarily dazzled by sunlight reflecting off the terminal building windows.
- This loss of visibility occurred as the driver entered the stand area.
- The impact resulted in damage to the right wing tip fence of the aircraft.