What happened
On July 25, 2022, an Airbus A320-214, registration N950AV, was prepared for a scheduled passenger flight from Rionegro's José María Córdova International Airport to Cali. During the pre-flight phase, maintenance personnel were performing engine start procedures using external pneumatic assistance.
After receiving clearance from ground staff, the flight crew began taxiing the aircraft. Approximately 10 meters into the movement, ground personnel signaled an emergency stop because they noticed that the external power/communication jack cover had been left open. As the flight crew applied the brakes, the sudden deceleration caused a flight attendant, who was standing in the forward galley area, to fall backward against the galley structure. The crew immediately suspended the flight, and the aircraft returned to its parking position. The flight attendant suffered serious injuries that required hospitalization and resulted in a 100-day medical leave.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the ground handling procedures and the sequence of events leading to the emergency stop. The investigation examined the roles of the ground crew, which included a licensed technician acting as an instructor (OJT) and an apprentice technician.
Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and flight data to reconstruct the movement of the aircraft and the actions of the ground personnel. The inquiry also looked into the maintenance tasks performed, specifically the disconnection of the interphone and the removal of the nose wheel steering pin. Furthermore, the investigation evaluated the safety of the cabin environment during the taxi phase and the adequacy of the airline's procedures for preserving flight recorder data following an occurrence.
Findings
- The primary cause was the failure of ground support personnel to follow dispatch and checklist procedures, specifically by omitting the closure of the external power/communication jack cover. This task had been delegated to an apprentice technician.
- The apprentice technician had developed a habit of leaving the cover open during previous movements where the aircraft was not intended to depart.
- The licensed technician failed to supervise and verify that the apprentice had properly completed the disconnection and closure of the communication ports.
- A contributing factor was that the flight attendant was not in a secured position, which led to her fall during the unexpected and abrupt braking maneuver.