What happened
On 22 July 1998, at approximately 1700 UTC, a Boeing 757-236, registration G-BIKD, was involved in a ground incident at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was being prepared for service when ground equipment was being moved near the rear of the airframe. During the repositioning of a motorised baggage conveyor belt toward the rear cargo hold, the equipment made contact with the aircraft. The impact resulted in minor damage to the cargo door seal and the adjacent structure of the aircraft.
The investigation
Following the incident, the AAIB examined the movement of the ground equipment to determine how the contact occurred. The investigation focused on the functionality of the motorised conveyor belt involved in the event. Upon inspection of the machinery, investigators identified mechanical issues with the unit's control systems. Specifically, the examination revealed that the hand brake on the conveyor belt was not functioning correctly and the gear lever lacked the necessary precision for reliable operation.