What happened
On January 20, 2004, at approximately 20:07 UTC, a Fairchild SA 227 AC, registration I-BSTI, was taxiing at Rome Fiumicino Airport. The aircraft, operated by Trasporti Aerei Italiani s.r.l., was performing a commercial passenger flight from Rome to Pescara with two crew members and six passengers on board. While taxiing along taxiway NG, the aircraft collided with an Alitalia Airport passenger shuttle.
The shuttle was crossing taxiway NG from left to right when the collision occurred. The pilot of the aircraft reported that all required lights, including position, anti-collision, and taxi lights, had been activated prior to movement. Following the impact, the pilot shut down the engines and inspected the aircraft for fuel leaks. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew of either vehicle.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the visibility conditions and the infrastructure at the intersection. At the time of the event, it was night (21:07 local time) and light rain was falling. The investigation found that while a "STOP" sign was present on the roadway, its position was set too far back from the intersection of taxiway NG. This placement, combined with nearby perimeter fencing and structures, prevented the shuttle driver from having a clear view of approaching aircraft within the required 200-meter radius.
Furthermore, the investigation noted that the airport's taxiway charts (AIP Italia) did not display the location of service roads used by ground vehicles. The driver of the shuttle stated they had stopped at the sign and proceeded because no traffic was visible; upon entering the taxiway, the aircraft appeared on the right. The driver attempted to reverse to clear the path, but the vehicle's automatic transmission delayed the maneuver, making the collision unavoidable.
Findings
- The collision was caused by a passenger shuttle entering a taxiway simultaneously with an aircraft.
- Poor visibility due to nighttime conditions and light rain contributed to the event.
- The positioning of the "STOP" sign was too far from the intersection, obstructing the driver's view of the taxiway.
- Physical obstructions, including fencing and adjacent structures, further limited the driver's line of sight.
- The shuttle driver failed to comply with airport regulations requiring aircraft to have right-of-way, likely due to insufficient training regarding ground movement visibility constraints.
Safety action
- The ANSV issued recommendation ANSV-45/6-04/1/A/04 to ENAC, advising that airport driver training programs should more explicitly address aircraft ground movement concepts, specifically regarding the limitations of pilot visibility (such as the use of taxi lights in rain) and the fact that taxiway charts do not show service road locations.