What happened
On 21 November 2008, a Gulfstream G5, registration CS-DKE, was taxiing from its parking position on the Delta ramp at Farnborough Airport. The flight crew, which included a captain under training acting as pilot flying and a training captain as pilot monitoring, was preparing for a flight to West Palm Beach, Florida.
As the aircraft began its taxi, the pilot performed a slight right-hand turn to assist with positioning onto the taxiway. During this maneuver, the left winglet of CS-DKE struck the right winglet of a parked, unoccupied Global Express, registration C-GGLO. The collision severed the upper section of the C-GGLO winglet.
The crew of CS-DKE did not realize a collision had occurred during the taxi. The incident was only discovered after the aircraft had landed in Florida, when an engineer noted scuff marks on the winglet. Following the event, airport staff identified the broken piece of the parked aircraft on the ground.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the flight deck visibility and the parking arrangements at the airport. It was noted that the Delta ramp lacked specific parking stand markings, and the aircraft were parked at an angle to the ramp edge.
Investigators found that the wingtip of an aircraft of this type is not visible from the seated position in the left flight deck seat without the use of a mirror or by leaning the head against the window. The investigation also looked into the flight crew's actions, noting that the pilot flying had identified the clearance as a concern but believed sufficient space existed to proceed.
Findings
- The pilot flying CS-DKE failed to detect the collision while monitoring the wingtip clearance.
- The right-hand turn performed during the initial taxi phase was a significant factor in the contact.
- The geometry of the flight deck and the remote position of the wingtip on large swept-wing aircraft make it difficult for pilots to perceive the wingtip's path.
- The lack of specific parking stand markings on the Delta ramp contributed to the close proximity of the two aircraft.
Safety action
- The operator of CS-DKE implemented a new procedure requiring all departing aircraft to be marshalled out of their parking positions.
- The airport operator initially required marshalling for all aircraft departing the Delta apron, though this was later replaced by an advisory broadcast via the ATIS regarding the availability of marshalling services.