What happened
On December 14, 2005, at 10:17 UTC, a First Choice Airways Airbus A321, registration G-OOAH, landed at Rovaniemi Airport, Finland, on a charter flight from Bristol, England. After parking at stand number nine, ground operations commenced, including refueling and baggage unloading. Passengers had begun disembarking via passenger stairs positioned at the L1 door.
Approximately eight minutes after the aircraft came to a halt, the aircraft began moving backward. The movement was triggered when the captain released the parking brake. As the aircraft moved, the L1 door frame caught the railing of the passenger stairs, causing the stairs to collapse. A family of four, including two children under the age of ten, fell with the stairs and sustained minor injuries. Simultaneously, the backward motion caused the refueling hose to tighten and eventually tear away from the wing, breaking the fuel connection.
The investigation
OTKES investigators examined the physical conditions of the apron and the operational procedures in place at the time. The investigation established that the aircraft's movement was caused by the slope of the parking stand, which exceeded established construction norms. Ground personnel attempted to stop the movement by sliding rubber chocks under the wheels, but the chocks slid across the icy surface without stopping the aircraft.
The investigation also looked into the maintenance of the apron and the oversight of ground handling services. It was found that the apron surface was covered in ice and slush, with a friction coefficient significantly lower than the required 0.30 due to recent de-icing fluid runoff from a previous aircraft. Furthermore, the investigation identified gaps in the contractual and supervisory relationship between the airport, the airline, and the ground handling providers.
Findings
- The primary cause of the aircraft's movement was the excessive slope of the parking stand combined with the release of the parking brake.
- The parking stand surface was extremely slippery due to ice, snow, and residual de-icing fluid.
- The triangular-shaped rubber chocks used by ground staff were ineffective because their design and the icy surface prevented them from gripping the tires.
- There was a lack of adequate oversight regarding ground handling operations and contractual compliance between the airport and service providers.
- The airline had not yet audited the local ground handling company's performance or provided all necessary operational manuals.