What happened
On 5 July 2006, a Boeing 747-443, registration G-VLIP, was being prepared for a scheduled passenger flight from London Gatwick Airport to Antigua, West Indies. During the pushback process from Stand 36 Middle, the ground crew was instructed to perform a "long push" into an area of Taxiway Lima. This maneuver was intended to clear the area so an approaching aircraft could maneuver onto an adjacent stand.
As the aircraft was pushed clockwise along Taxiway Lima, the right wingtip struck a blast fence located along the taxiway. The collision was not immediately noticed by the flight crew or the ground personnel. The impact was only identified after a passenger in a window seat on the right side of the cabin alerted the cabin crew to the strike. Upon investigation, a ground engineer confirmed that the trailing edge skin of the right winglet had been damaged.
The investigation
Investigators examined the procedures and regulations governing the pushback. While airport regulations prohibited aircraft with wingspans exceeding 61 meters from using Taxiway Lima beyond stand 3 and 38 to access certain stands, there was no explicit prohibition against pushing such aircraft into the area adjacent to stands 37 and 38.
Furthermore, the investigation looked into the movement of ground personnel. At the time, the wing walkers involved in the operation believed they were prohibited from entering the taxiway area. Because they remained within the stand boundary, they were unable to provide visual guidance as the right wingtip approached the fence. The engineer also noted that his position on the port side of the aircraft, while necessary to monitor the left wing, prevented him from observing the right wingtip's proximity to the structure.
Findings
- The collision occurred because the aircraft was pushed into a section of Taxiway Lima where the clearance between the blast fence and the taxiway centerline was insufficient for the Boeing 747-443 wingspan.
- The tug driver had no visual method to determine when the aircraft's wing extremities had entered the restricted area.
- The wing walkers did not enter the taxiway area due to a misunderstanding of airport regulations regarding pedestrian access.
- The engineer's position on the left side of the aircraft meant the right wingtip was not visible to him during the maneuver.