What happened
On the evening of 27 December 2001, an Airbus A330-200, registration PT-MVB, operated by TAM Brazilian Airlines, was taxiing toward runway 28 at Zurich Airport. During the taxi maneuver, the aircraft's right winglet made contact with the rudder assembly of a stationary Crossair AVRO RJ10 and registration HB-IYX.
The Crossair aircraft was positioned at a remote de-icing area (RIO) on the bypass of runway 28, waiting to move into a specific standby position. At the time of the incident, the airport was experiencing light snowfall, and taxiway markings were partially obscured by snow and slush. While the TAM crew did not immediately realize a collision had occurred, the Crossair crew felt the impact and notified Zurich Tower.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the spatial constraints of the newly introduced remote de-icing position and the visibility conditions on the ground. Investigators examined the procedures for the RIO area, which had been implemented as a trial to manage de-icing capacity during winter. The inquiry also reviewed the communication between the aircraft crews and Zurich apron control, as well as the visibility of taxiway markings due to the weather.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was that the crew of the taxiing PT-MVB failed to recognize that the HB-IYX was stationary on the right side of their taxiway and had not yet fully entered its designated standby position.
- The available space on the bypass was insufficient to allow an aircraft of the A330-200's large wingspan to pass the stationary AVRO RJ100 safely.
- The Crossair crew had not fully read the specific winter operation bulletin detailing the procedures and space limitations for the RIO area.
- Environmental factors, including light snowfall and slush-covered taxiway markings, reduced the visibility of the stationary aircraft and the ground markings.
- The TAM co-pilot may have been distracted by a frequency change to the Tower frequency at the time of the incident.
- The AVRO RJ100 sustained substantial damage to its vertical stabilizer assembly, rendering it unairworthy, while the A330-200 sustained only minor surface scratches to its winglet.
Safety action
- The investigation noted a lack of clarity in the formal agreements between the airport operator, air traffic control, and de-icing service providers regarding the operation of the RIO area, as many procedures were based on verbal agreements and meeting protocols rather than formal documentation.