What happened
On 16 April 2000, at approximately 1730 UTC, a Boeing 737-200, registration EI-CNV, was involved in a ground incident at Manchester International Airport during a public transport operation. Following the offloading of passengers and baggage, it was discovered that the rear fuselage skin, situated below the aft cargo door, had been damaged. The incident resulted in two small perforations in the aircraft's skin.
The investigation
The investigation was informed by an aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and an incident report provided by Manchester Airport PLC. The inquiry established that the damage was caused by a baggage loading belt. The driver of the baggage loading vehicle stated that while approaching the aircraft, his foot accidentally slipped from the brake pedal onto the accelerator.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was the unintended acceleration of the baggage loading vehicle.
- The driver's foot slipped from the brake to the accelerator during the approach to the aircraft.
- Following the incident, the operator removed the aircraft from revenue service and relocated it to Stansted for necessary repairs.
- The driver involved was suspended from duty and required further training before being permitted to return to work.