What happened
On 30 May 2012, an Airbus A320-214, registration G-MRJK, was involved in a ground collision at London Luton Airport. The aircraft was being prepared for a commercial passenger flight. Due to the failure of the primary tug, a larger replacement tug and towbar were utilized to perform the pushback from Stand 43 on the East Apron.
Because of the increased dimensions of the equipment, the pushback followed an 'S' shaped, non-standard path. During the maneuver, the aircraft was pushed back and to the left, causing the tail to point toward the southwest. As the aircraft was being pulled forward to align with the taxiway centerline, its right horizontal stabilizer made contact with the APU tail cone of an unoccupied Airbus A320-214, registration G-OZBM, which was parked at Stand 46. The collision resulted in significant damage to the right stabilizer of G-MRJK and a scrape to the tail cone of G-OZBM. Neither the flight crew nor the tug driver felt the impact, though a passing dispatcher noticed debris falling from the aircraft and raised the alarm.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the pushback procedures, the equipment used, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation established that the tug and towbar combination was approximately 2.5 meters longer than the standard equipment used by the handling agent.
Investigators found that the tug driver and headset operative were significantly hindered by bright sunlight reflecting off the taxiway. This glare, combined with the lack of sunglasses, made it difficult to monitor the aircraft's position relative to the rear of the stand road and the taxiway centerline. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the fatigue and health of the tug driver, who was nearing the end of a night shift and experiencing symptoms of a cold.
Findings
- The pushback maneuver was non-standard and deviated from the airport operator's modeled procedure for that stand.
- The use of an oversized tug and towbar increased the difficulty of maneuvering the aircraft within the constrained space.
- Sun glare from the rising sun significantly obscured the vision of the pushback team, preventing them from accurately judging the aircraft's proximity to the parked G-OZBM.
- The tug driver was experiencing fatigue and the effects of a cold, which may have influenced judgment.
- The handling agent's training did not explicitly instruct drivers to stop and verify clearance if they were uncertain of the aircraft's position.
Safety action
- The handling agent has ceased using the oversized tug and towbar for pushbacks on the East Apron.
- The handling agent will implement risk assessments for all non-standard pushback operations.
- Driver training will be updated to mandate that pushback must stop and be checked if clearance is in doubt.
- The airport operator's pushback models will be integrated into training to improve driver awareness.