What happened
On 10 September 1999, an MD 87, registration VP-BOP, was parked at Stand 504 at London Stansted Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a public transport operation, and passengers were in the process of disembarking from the cabin.
During this period, a catering vehicle approached the aircraft from the right-hand side, specifically near the location of the service door. The vehicle made contact with the aircraft with significant force. The impact resulted in severe buckling of the skin and the window belt panel in the vicinity of the right-side service door.
There were no fatalities and no injuries to the 62 passengers or the 5 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation was initiated following an aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the mechanics of the collision and the actions of the vehicle operator. It was established that the driver of the catering vehicle released the clutch while the vehicle remained in gear, which caused the vehicle to lurch forward into the aircraft.
Following the incident, the aircraft was assessed by a repair organisation. Based on their technical advice, the MD 87 was flown to Shannon to undergo necessary structural repairs.