Incident Overview
On 30 August 2001, at approximately 1645 hours UTC, a Boeing 747-186B, registration EP-IAM, was parked on Stand L31 at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was scheduled for a public transport flight, but no crew or passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
Loading and Door Operation
The forward cargo hold of the aircraft had been loaded using a high loader. Upon completion of the loading, the handling agent activated the door closing mechanism while the high loader remained positioned adjacent to the cargo door.
Damage Occurrence
As the cargo door approached its closed position, the aft corner of the door struck a guide rail on the high loader. The impact caused the door to buckle.
Aftermath
The aircraft was subsequently removed from service and ferried to Hamburg for repair. The damage was limited to the buckled cargo door.
Aircraft Information
The Boeing 747-186B was equipped with four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A engines. The incident was reported via an Aircraft Accident Report Form.
Injuries
No injuries were reported among crew or passengers, as there were no persons on board.