History of the Flight
On 27 December 2024, an Airbus A321-211, registered A6-ATG, operated by Air Arabia, was conducting scheduled flight ABY618 from Suhag International Airport (HESG) to Sharjah International Airport (OMSJ). The aircraft had arrived earlier as flight ABY617 and parked on bay 04. At 23:21 UTC, air traffic control cleared the flight to taxi to runway 15 to the right via taxiway D. The aircraft taxied with a sharp right turn, deviating from the apron yellow line, and collided with a baggage loader parked adjacent to another baggage loader just outside the equipment restriction area red line of bay 03. The baggage loaders were dragged a few meters. At 23:25, as the aircraft lined up for takeoff, ATC informed the flight crew of the collision, which they had not noticed. The crew requested to return to the bay for inspection. Upon return, the captain inspected the aircraft and the flight was canceled.
Damage to Aircraft and Ground Equipment
Engine number 2 sustained substantial damage. One of the two baggage loaders sustained minor damage.
Injuries
No injuries were reported among crew, passengers, or others.
Personnel Information
The pilot in command was a male Jordanian national with an ATPL-A license issued by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. He had 4,783 total flight hours, including 609 hours on the Airbus A321. The second in command was a female Korean national with an ATPL-A license, with 2,048 total flight hours, including 321 hours on the A321.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was an Airbus A321-211, manufacturer serial number not specified in the report, registered A6-ATG, operated by Air Arabia.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the serious incident was the flight crew's non-adherence to the airport charted taxilane. A contributing factor was that ATC did not instruct the aircraft when it deviated from its designated taxilane.