Incident Details
On Saturday, 17 September 2011, at 11:12 UTC, an Airbus A320-214 (registration EC-LAJ, operated by Orbest) was stopped at the holding point on taxiway H-2 at Palma de Mallorca Airport, awaiting clearance to enter runway 24R for a flight to Cork, Ireland. Simultaneously, a Boeing 737-800 (registration LN-RRH, operated by SAS) was taxiing on the north taxiway toward taxiway H-1 for a flight to Stockholm. As the Boeing crossed taxiway H-2, its left wingtip struck the aft section of the Airbus A320.
The crew of the Boeing 737-800 felt the impact, stopped the aircraft, and informed the control tower that they believed they had hit the Airbus. The controller dispatched a marshaller, who confirmed contact and reported that the left winglet of the Boeing was caught on the APU exhaust cone of the Airbus. The Boeing was then pushed with a tractor to free it from the Airbus, after which both aircraft returned under their own power to the parking stand for damage assessment.
Aircraft Damage
The Airbus A320 (EC-LAJ) sustained damage to the aft part of the fuselage, requiring replacement of the entire section aft of frame 84, the APU exhaust gas pipe, and the rail structure holding this part. The firewall on frame 84 also required repair. The Boeing 737-800 (LN-RRH) sustained damage limited to the leading edge of the left wing and part of the skin on the left winglet.
Weather and Communications
Meteorological reports (METAR) from around the time of the incident indicated wind from 220° at 11–12 knots, visibility of 10 km or more, few clouds at 2,500 ft, temperature 28°C, dewpoint 19°C, and QNH 1016 hPa.
Communication records show that the Airbus crew had contacted ground movement control (GMC-N) at 11:04:04 UTC and were instructed to taxi to the runway 24R holding point. The Boeing crew contacted GMC-N at 11:06:10 and were instructed to taxi via F to the same holding point. Both aircraft were subsequently transferred to the departures frequency. At 11:12:46, the Boeing crew reported to the tower that they thought they had struck another aircraft's tail. Shortly after, the Airbus crew reported feeling a strong knock to the rear. The controller informed both crews that a marshaller would be sent.
Crew Information
The Airbus A320 crew comprised a 49-year-old captain with 18,762 total flight hours (6,218 on type) and a 29-year-old first officer with 3,185 hours (2,895 on type). The Boeing 737-800 crew consisted of a 46-year-old captain with 8,897 total hours (1,381 on type) and a 41-year-old first officer with 7,715 hours (1,052 on type). No injuries were reported.