What happened
On 10 June 2001, at approximately 18:40 UTC, a Boeing 737-300, registration OO-VEG, was involved in a ground incident at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a public transport operation and had just completed the passenger boarding process when the flight crew became aware of an impact involving the aircraft.
Upon conducting a physical inspection, the commander identified that a vehicle had been driven beneath the starboard wing. This collision resulted in a dent and a puncture to the outboard starboard wing panel. Following the discovery, the commander directed the 94 passengers to disembark the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the incident was caused by a vehicle driver attempting to navigate through a congested area of the ramp. The driver had recently completed a delivery to the aircraft and, in an attempt to bypass traffic congestion, steered the vehicle underneath the wing of the Boeing 737-300.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was the driver's attempt to maneuver the vehicle under the wing to avoid congestion.
- There were no injuries to the 6 crew members or the 94 passengers on board.
- The damage was limited to the outboard starboard wing panel, which was both dented and pierced.
Safety action
Following an internal investigation by the ground handling agent, the driver involved was removed from driving duties on aircraft maneuvering areas on a temporary basis and was required to undergo retraining regarding ramp safety and vehicle handling.