Incident Overview
On August 3, 2025, at 23:00 UTC, an Embraer ERJ190, registration LV-CHR, operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas SA was parked at gate position 4 of the Libertador General José de San Martín International Airport in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina. The aircraft was preparing for a scheduled commercial flight to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires. Passengers had boarded, and cargo holds were loaded. Ground equipment, including the baggage belt and rear stairs, had been removed, and the cargo doors were closed. Only the forward passenger stairs remained in place, awaiting crew authorization for removal.
Sequence of Events
Maintenance personnel signaled ground staff to remove the wheel chocks. The ground crew first removed the main landing gear chocks, then the nose gear chocks. With all chocks removed, the aircraft began to roll backward due to the slope of the apron. The ground crew noticed the movement and immediately replaced the nose gear chocks, stopping the aircraft.
During the aft movement, the forward passenger door frame contacted the still-attached forward stairs, causing the stairs to lift slightly. This prevented the door from closing properly. The correct operational sequence requires that all ground equipment be removed from the safety zone before chocks are removed, and that the parking brake be set by the flight crew. In this instance, the parking brake had not been set, and a miscommunication led to an unauthorized removal of chocks before all equipment was clear.
Damage and Aftermath
Inspection revealed that the forward passenger door (1L) was damaged and could not be secured. The aircraft was deemed not airworthy, and the flight was canceled. Maintenance personnel performed temporary repairs to close and secure the door, allowing the aircraft to be ferried to its base for permanent repairs, as recorded in the technical log (entry No. 01578364 dated August 5, 2025).
No injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained minor damage.