What happened
In the early hours of the incident, a Short 360 cargo flight, operating as Streamline 200, was preparing for departure from Paris-Roissy-CDG Airport. The aircraft was tasked with a cargo service bound for Luton and was directed by ground control to proceed from stand N51 toward runway 27. During the taxiing process, the crew requested and received permission to utilize Taxiway 16 to reach the active runway.
Simultaneously, Air Liberté Flight 8807, an MD-83 with registration F-GHED, was also taxiing toward runway 27 for a scheduled service to Madrid. At approximately 02:50, the tower controller issued takeoff clearance to the MD-83. Immediately following this clearance, the controller instructed the Short 360 to line up and wait on runway 27, positioning it as the second aircraft in the sequence.
As the MD-83 accelerated down the runway, the Short 360 began its movement onto the runway surface. The two aircraft collided when the left wing of the MD-83 struck the cockpit area of the Short 360 at a speed of roughly 155 knots. Following the impact, the crew of the MD-83 aborted the takeoff attempt. There were no fatalities reported in the collision, though the aircraft sustained significant damage.