What happened
On 17 July 2009, a Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DLJ, was undergoing passenger boarding at London Stansted Airport. A three-year-old child, accompanied by her mother, was using the aircraft's forward integral airstairs as part of a priority boarding process. Because the mother was carrying a younger sibling and a carry-on bag, she was unable to assist the child. The child climbed the stairs independently, holding onto the lower handrail. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, the child leaned backward toward her mother and fell through a gap between the extendable handrail and the top platform, landing on the hardstanding below. The child was airlifted to a hospital and released 24 hours later with one minor injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the design of the Boeing 737 forward airstairs and the boarding procedures in place at the time. It was found that while the airstairs feature extendable handrails to prevent sideways falls, a physical gap remains between these rails and the fuselage side. The investigation also reviewed the operator's safety procedures and the manufacturer's communication of safety updates. It was noted that while the operator's manual requires cabin crew to assist passengers with special needs, the crew's ability to identify such passengers while they are ascending the stairs is limited. Furthermore, the investigation found that the operator had not received updated Boeing Flight Attendant Manuals due to a lack of a formal revision service from the manufacturer.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the existence of a gap between the retractable handrail and the top platform of the airstairs, which was large enough for a small child to pass through.
- The child was unable to be supported by the adult due to the adult's hands being occupied by a sibling and luggage.
- Although previous safety bulletins had recommended adding anti-skid material and warning placards to the airstairs, the specific door aperture placards had not yet been applied to EI-DLJ.
- There was a lack of effective assistance provided by ground or cabin crew to the passengers during the boarding process in this instance.