Incident Overview
On 1 February 2005 at 1650 UTC, an Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy (registration HB-JEA) struck a parked Dornier 328-100 (registration G-BZOG) while taxiing on the general aviation (GA) apron at Manchester International Airport. The Embraer was operating a public transport passenger flight with two crew and one passenger. The Dornier had one crew member and no passengers. No injuries were reported on either aircraft.
Sequence of Events
The Embraer had arrived earlier in the day when the GA apron was largely empty. At 1600 hrs, a Dornier 328 arrived and partially blocked the Embraer's intended taxi path. Handling agents attempted to tow the Dornier clear but were unable to move it more than a few metres due to a raised flowerbed at the apron edge.
After start-up, the Embraer began taxiing with guidance from a marshaller walking ahead and two wing walkers—one at each wingtip—to assist in avoiding the Dornier on the right and light aircraft on the left. The co-pilot could see the right winglet from the cockpit, but the window curvature and wing sweep prevented accurate clearance assessment.
The marshaller signalled a left turn to increase separation. During the turn, the right wing walker realised a collision was imminent and raised his hand in a 'halt' gesture to the marshaller. The marshaller signalled the captain to stop, but the right winglet struck the Dornier's wingtip before the Embraer came to a halt. The Embraer was shut down. The Dornier's captain, aboard at the time, felt an unusual movement less violent than a gust of wind and later judged the impact speed to be very low.
Damage and Aftermath
The Dornier's right wingtip leading edge sustained a sharp, clean cut approximately six inches long in the composite fairing. Damage did not reach the structural tip or the electrical system. The Embraer's winglet suffered only superficial grazing of leading edge erosion tape and paint, with no structural damage. The Embraer returned to its base the following morning; the Dornier required wingtip replacement before further flight.
Recorded Information
Flight data recorder data indicated the Embraer was moving at 4 knots at the time of collision. Security camera footage (one frame per second) showed the ground crew's actions but did not clearly show if standard hand signals (repeatedly crossing arms above the head) were used to indicate an emergency stop.
Regulatory Context
The handling agent noted that the GA apron could not easily accommodate two large GA aircraft simultaneously. Additional parking was available on a nearby taxiway or cargo apron. The Air Navigation Order, Rule 37(2), states that the commander of an aircraft must take all possible measures to avoid collision, regardless of ATC clearance. In this instance, the Embraer captain, with the marshalling team, had developed a plan believed to ensure safe taxiing on the crowded apron, but the collision occurred despite these measures.