What happened
On 31 August 2000, a Boeing 737-5Q8, registration G-BVZH, was positioned at Stand F6 at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was being prepared for a scheduled flight to Stuttgart, Germany. During the ground handling process, a vehicle tasked with loading the cargo hold attempted to maneuver behind the starboard wing. During this movement, the vehicle made contact with the aircraft's logo light assembly, resulting in damage to the starboard wing tip.
The investigation
Investigators examined the movements of the ground crew and the positioning of vehicles on the stand. It was established that while regulations required a ground assistant to aid the driver during maneuvers, both the driver and the assistant were distracted. Their attention had been diverted by another vehicle parked in close proximity to the side of the aircraft furthest from the wing.
Furthermore, the investigation looked into recent safety protocols implemented by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL). Following a recent increase in aircraft damage incidents, an Operational Safety Instruction had been issued on 25 August 2000. This instruction recommended that airlines and ground handlers use cones to clearly demarcate the position of engines and wing tips. Although these cones were available at the time of the incident, the operator had not deployed them around the Boeing 737-5Q8.