What happened
On November 16, 2019, at Frankfurt Airport, a collision occurred between two large commercial aircraft during taxi operations. The first aircraft, a Boeing 777-30 andER operating from Seoul, South Korea, had landed and was instructed by the tower to vacate the runway and hold at the intersection of taxiway M and M8. The aircraft came to a stop at the holding line, positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle to the line.
Shortly thereafter, an Airbus A330-200 arriving from Windhoek, Namibia, was taxiing along taxiway M. The crew of the Airbus had been instructed to hold short of taxiway Tango 4. As the Airbus approached the intersection of M and M8, the crew reduced their taxi speed. At approximately 17:44 local time, the left winglet of the Airbus collided with the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing.
There were no injuries to the passengers or crew on either aircraft. The Boeing 777-300ER sustained heavy damage to its tail section, while the Airbus A330-200 suffered light damage to its left winglet. Both aircraft were eventually towed to their assigned parking positions, and passengers were able to disembark normally.
The investigation
The BFU examined the flight data recorders (FDR) and cockpit voice recorders (CVR) from both aircraft. The FDR data confirmed that the Boeing 777-300ER was stationary at the time of the event, while the Airbus A330-200 had decelerated before the collision. CVR recordings from the Airbus indicated that the crew had observed the Boeing and were aware that the distance between the two aircraft was closing rapidly.
The investigation also reviewed airport ground movement procedures and the ambiguity regarding how close an aircraft should hold to a designated holding point. The BFU noted that while international regulations require aircraft to stay clear of the holding position, pilots often taxi as close as possible to the line to ensure the stop bar or markings are visible.
Findings
- The left winglet of the Airbus A330-200 struck the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing 777-300ER.
- The crew of the Airbus was aware of the proximity of the Boeing prior to the impact.
- The Boeing 777-300ER was positioned at an angle relative to the taxiway holding line.
- Ambiguity in holding distances at the intersection contributed to the proximity of the two aircraft.