What happened
On the morning of 10 March 2023, a Cemair Beechcraft 1900D, registration ZS-PKB, was preparing for a scheduled commercial flight from O.R. Tambo International Airport to Margate Airport. The aircraft was carrying two pilots and 19 passengers.
Following a pushback from parking bay C19 to taxiway India, the towbar was disconnected from the aircraft and reattached to the tug. After the engines were started and the crew completed their checklists, the pilot began taxiing the aircraft. During this maneuver, the right wing of the aircraft struck a stationary tug that was parked in front of the aircraft's right wing. The impact caused substantial damage to the right leading-edge tip and the underside of the wing. No injuries were reported among the 21 people on board, though the passengers were returned to the terminal and the aircraft was grounded for repairs.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID examined the sequence of events using airport video footage and pilot statements. The investigation established that the aircraft had been delayed by approximately 35 minutes due to refueling issues involving a bowser.
Review of the footage showed that after the towbar was reconnected to the tug, the tug driver moved to the right side of the aircraft to park the vehicle within the C19 demarcation. As the tug driver entered the vehicle, the aircraft began to move, leading to the collision. The investigation also noted that the pilot flying was relatively new to the company, having joined only a few weeks prior, and was unfamiliar with the specific layout of O.R. Tambo or the standard pushback procedures used at the airport.
Findings
- The aircraft's right wing tip and underside sustained substantial damage.
- The collision occurred because the aircraft taxied into a stationary tug parked in its path.
- The pilot flying had limited experience with the company's specific pushback procedures and was unfamiliar with the airport's taxiway layout.
- Visual meteorological conditions were clear, and weather played no role in the incident.