What happened
On 15 July 1999, at approximately 09:30 UTC, a Boeing 747-236B, registration G-BDXC, was parked at Stand W1 of London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a public transport operation, and passengers were in the process of disembarking the aircraft when the incident occurred.
During this period, a catering vehicle was directed into position on the right-hand side of the aircraft. After the vehicle reached its designated spot, the driver engaged the handbrake and released the clutch pedal. At this moment, the vehicle moved forward unexpectedly, resulting in a collision with the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report provided by the pilot and supplementary information from ground handling agents. The inquiry focused on the movement of the catering vehicle and the sequence of actions taken by the driver immediately prior to the impact.
Findings
- The collision caused damage to the right wing root fairing of the Boeing 747-236B.
- The primary cause of the incident was that the catering vehicle remained in gear after the driver applied the handbrake and released the clutch, causing the vehicle to lurch forward into the aircraft.