Incident Overview
On 16 December 1997 at 1053 UTC, a Boeing 737-548 (registration EI-CDS) was parked on Stand N90 at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft, manufactured in 1992 and powered by two CFM56-3-B1 turbofan engines, was being prepared for a public transport flight. At the time of the occurrence, no crew members had boarded the aircraft, and there were no passengers on board. The aircraft was undergoing loading and refueling operations.
Sequence of Events
A small tug, towing a line of baggage trucks, approached the parked aircraft. The tug driver intended to manoeuvre the baggage trucks close to the forward cargo hold. However, during the manoeuvre, the driver misjudged the turn. The tug made contact with the right engine cowling at slow speed, resulting in a 3-inch split in the cowling.
Damage and Injuries
The only damage reported was to the engine cowling of the right engine. No injuries were sustained by the crew (none were on board) or any other personnel. The passengers are listed as N/A because there were none.
Investigation
The information for this report was sourced from an Accident Report Form submitted by the police. The report does not assign a probable cause.