Incident Details
On 6 October 2004, a BAe 146-200 registered G-GNTZ was involved in a ground incident at Stand 53 of Manchester Airport. The aircraft had completed a passenger flight from Cork, Ireland, and was being taxied to the parking stand. The outboard engines (numbers 1 and 4) had been shut down during the taxi.
Sequence of Events
As the aircraft approached the stand, the commander used the Azimuth Guidance for Nose-In Stand (AGNIS) to maintain the centreline and then focused on the Parallax Aircraft Parking Aid (PAPA) board, specifically the line designated for the BAe 146. Near the stopping zone, the commander glanced briefly at the AGNIS before returning his attention to the PAPA board. When he stopped the aircraft, a tremor was felt, and he realised that the number 1 engine had struck the airbridge. He then shut down the remaining engines (numbers 2 and 3), and the passengers disembarked via a set of steps.
Cause
The commander reported that after looking away from the PAPA board, he misidentified the correct white line upon returning his gaze, causing him to taxi too far into the stand. The PAPA board is designed to be viewed from the left-hand seat only, making it difficult for the pilot in the right seat to accurately monitor the stopping position. The incident resulted in damage to the engine cowling. No injuries occurred, and the aircraft was operating under public transport (passenger) rules with 5 crew and 27 passengers on board.