What happened
On 17 June 1998, a BAe 146-200, registration G-JEAS, was involved in a ground incident at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was operating as a public transport flight and had recently completed its arrival procedures. After the aircraft had parked at Stand F11, the commander was notified of damage to the airframe. A baggage trolley had collided with the rear section of the fuselage, specifically in the area located aft of the rear baggage hold door. This impact was severe enough to cause a puncture to the aircraft's pressure hull.
The investigation
The investigation was initiated following an aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the movement of ground equipment on the ramp at the time of the incident. The investigation established that the weather conditions contributed to the loss of control of the equipment. Specifically, the ramp surface was wet, and a patch of oil was present on the ground.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the trolley handler lost control of the baggage trolley.
- The loss of control occurred because the handler slipped on a patch of oil located on the wet ramp.
- The collision resulted in a puncture to the pressure hull of the BAe 146-200.