What happened
On 28 June 2008, at approximately 21:30 UTC, a ground incident occurred at the South Apron of Coventry Airport involving two Boeing 737 aircraft. The first aircraft, a Boeing 737-33V with registration G-THOO, was preparing for a scheduled commercial flight from Coventry to Palma de Mallorca.
During the pushback procedure from Stand One, the ground crew—consisting of a tug driver and a guideman—maneuvered the aircraft with its tail facing the passenger terminal. As the aircraft was being pulled back to facilitate engine start, its right winglet made contact with the right elevator of a second aircraft, a Boeing 737-36Q registered as G-THOJ, which was parked at Stand Eight directly behind the departing plane. The collision caused minor scratching to the winglet of G-THOO and severe damage to the elevator of G-THOJ, which was nearly severed.
There were no injuries to crew or passengers, and the incident was not immediately reported to Air Traffic Control or the airfield's Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS). Notification to the RFFS did not occur until roughly 45 minutes after the event, initiated by the airline's duty engineer.
The investigation
An investigation by Coventry Airport examined the sequence of events and the operational procedures in place at the time. The inquiry looked into the movement of the aircraft, the communication between the ground crew and the flight deck, and the adequacy of the airfield's safety manuals. The investigation also reviewed the delay in notifying emergency services and the availability of the aircraft parking plan.
Findings
- Changes in flight timing had altered the intended use of the stands at the time of the incident.
- The required aircraft parking plan, which should have been part of the airfield's airside safety manual, was unavailable.
- While the pushback procedure designated the guideman as responsible for monitoring wingtip clearance, the collision occurred despite this oversight.
- The failure to follow established airfield procedures for notifying the RFFS of a ground incident was identified as a significant issue.
Safety action
Following the incident, Stand Eight was withdrawn from service, and the associated ground equipment parking areas were removed to ensure a clear area for future pushbacks. The company responsible for the pushback was advised to review its procedures and conduct risk assessments for all stands under various operating conditions. The airfield's findings regarding the delay in reporting were also addressed.