What happened
On May 10, 2025, at 19:04 UTC, an Airbus A321-271NX, registration CC-AWS, was involved in a ground collision at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The aircraft, operated by JetSmart Airlines, had arrived from Santiago, Chile, landing on runway 13.
After vacating the runway via taxiway Charlie (C), the crew intended to merge onto taxiway Alpha (A) to reach the commercial apron. During the taxi maneuver, the crew initiated a turn at the intersection of taxiway Charlie and taxiway Bravo (B), mistakenly believing they had reached the intersection for taxiway Alpha. Because this specific intersection lacks specialized signage or turn guidance, the crew performed a turn that was too tight for the intended path. This maneuver caused the left main landing gear tire to strike a lateral beacon located on the edge of the taxiway.
The aircraft continued taxiing through taxiway Bravo and then onto taxi/way Alpha until reaching its assigned parking position. Upon stopping, maintenance personnel alerted the crew to damage on the left main gear tire. Subsequent inspections confirmed that the impact caused the beacon to collapse, though no other damage to the aircraft or the airfield surface was found.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted as a desk investigation by the Argentine authorities. Investigators examined the flight sequence, the taxiway layout, and the aircraft's movement following the landing. The inquiry focused on the intersection of taxiway Charlie, Bravo, and Alpha, specifically looking at the lack of visual aids at the point where the error occurred.