Incident Overview
Description
An American Airlines Boeing 777-223ER (N781AN) and a Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 (TC-JDK) suffered a ground collision accident in the Holding Area for runway 27L at London Heathrow Airport Aircraft entering the Holding Area prior to departure from runway 27L initially follow a single yellow taxiway centreline, which splits into two parallel lines within the holding area. This is wide enough for two ?heavy/widebody? aircraft to position side by side when lined up on the parallel lines. Prior to departure, the Boeing 777 was holding, in turn, at N2W behind a Boeing 737-800 in the Holding Area. Whilst in this position, the Airbus A340 was instructed to taxi to N2E. As it passed behind the B777, the A340?s right winglet made contact with the B777?s left elevator and its left wing tip. The A340 had not reached the section of the line parallel to that upon which the B777 was parked.
Primary Cause
Initial misjudgment by the Airbus A340 regarding the position of the Boeing 777, leading to a direct contact between the two aircraft’s winglets.Initial misjudgment by the Airbus A340 regarding the position of the Boeing 777, leading to a direct contact between the two aircraft’s winglets.Share on:
