What happened
On January 20, 2016, an Airbus A320-216 operated by a Spanish airline was preparing for a flight from Munich to Madrid. While taxiing toward de-icing area DA14, the crew initially bypassed the intended taxiway, prompting instructions from ground control to turn back. During this process, the crew began performing the 'BEFORE DEICING' checklist. During the procedure, the copilot accidentally activated the forward cargo compartment fire extinguishing system instead of the ditching switch.
Due to this technical issue, the pilot in command (PIC) informed the de-icing team that the aircraft needed to return to the parking stand. However, a misunderstanding occurred: the de-icing team leader interpreted the message as a delay in starting the procedure rather than a complete cancellation of de-icing services. Consequently, the de-icing vehicles remained positioned on either side of the aircraft's wings.
Later, after receiving clearance from the tower to line up on runway 26L, the crew began taxiing. As the aircraft moved forward, it struck the two de-icing vehicles. The collision caused light damage to the Airbus A320-216's sharklets and significant damage to the de-icing vehicles, which tilted onto their sides due to the impact. There were no injuries to the aircraft crew or the de-icing personnel.
The investigation
The BFU examined flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data, as well as interviews with the crew and de-icing personnel. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the collision, the accuracy of the checklist execution, and the effectiveness of the communication between the flight crew and the ground staff. The investigation also reviewed the technical configuration of the aircraft's cabin pressure and cargo smoke panels.