What happened
On 18 November 2010, a Fokker 100, registration D-AFKC, was prepared for a commercial passenger flight from London Heathrow Terminal 1 to Stuttgart, Germany. During the ground handling process at Stand 141, a pushback and subsequent forward movement onto a curved taxiway were performed by a ground handling team consisting of a tractor driver and a headset operator.
During the initial pushback, the tractor moved the aircraft into a position on the taxiway. The driver then proceeded to tow the aircraft forward toward its release position. As the tractor navigated a turn that required a sharper angle than the initial pushback, the distance between the right front corner of the tractor and the left side of the aircraft's nose decreased. This resulted in contact between the tractor and the aircraft's nosecone, causing a small perforation and a 12-inch L-shaped indentation to the radar disc. There were no injuries to the 35 passengers or 4 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation, informed by a report from the ground handling company, established that the incident was caused by the use of a towbar designed for an Avro RJ rather than the required type for the Fokker 100. This specific towbar was 55 cm shorter than the correct equipment.
While the towbar was marked with its compatible aircraft type, the lettering was found to be extremely small and located on the side plate of the registration labelling. The driver, who had previously used similar equipment on Fokker 100 aircraft, mistakenly identified the incorrect towbar as being compatible. The headset operator noted the decreasing clearance between the tractor and the aircraft and alerted the driver to stop the movement.
Findings
- The primary cause of the contact was the use of a towbar that was incompatible with the Fokker 100.
- The towbar used was 55 cm shorter than the required length, which reduced the necessary clearance during the turn.
- The small size and placement of the aircraft type markings on the Avro RJ towbar contributed to the driver's error.
- The driver's previous experience with similar-looking equipment led to the misidentification of the towbar.
Safety action
Following the incident, the ground handling company issued a Safety Alert to all personnel. All towbars that were not clearly marked were removed from service until they could be properly identified. The company also implemented internal safety recommendations to ensure all equipment is clearly and boldly labelled with its compatible aircraft type.