What happened
On 9 September 1998, at approximately 10:40 UTC, a Boeing 757-236, registration G-BIKU, was involved in a ground incident at London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a public transport operation. Following the completion of the pushback maneuver, the driver of the tug used to move the aircraft raised the cab of the vehicle. During this action, the cab made contact with the aircraft's fuselage.
The investigation
An investigation into the incident established that the contact occurred specifically in the area of the forward electrical bay. The impact resulted in minor damage to the forward fuselage skin. There were no injuries reported among the 10 crew members or the 158 passengers on board, and no injuries were sustained by the ground personnel involved.
Findings
- The primary cause of the contact was that the tug driver raised the vehicle's cab before confirming that the movement would not result in a collision with the aircraft.