What happened
On 10 June 1998, at approximately 07:25 UTC, a Boeing 737-59D, registration G-OBMY, was positioned at Stand R34 at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a passenger transport operation, and the boarding process had already been completed. While the aircraft was stationary, a catering truck attempted to maneuver through the space between the Boeing 737-59D and a nearby Boeing 747 parked at the adjacent stand (R36).
During this maneuver, the driver of the catering vehicle failed to adhere to the established stand safety markings. As a result, the vehicle collided with the right wingtip of the aircraft. The impact caused substantial damage to the wingtip structure. There were no passengers or crew on board the aircraft at the time of the collision, and no injuries were reported. Following the incident, passengers were disembarked from the aircraft without further complication, and no fuel leaks were detected.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the Aircraft Accident Report Form provided by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the movement of the catering vehicle and the adherence to ground safety protocols at the stand. The investigation established that the collision occurred because the driver did not follow the prescribed safety markings on the apron.