Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 27 December 2001
Aircraft Type: Airbus A330-223
Owner/operator: TAM Linhas A‚reas
Registration Number: PT-MVB
Location: Zrich-Kloten Airport (ZRH) – ÿ Switzerland
Phase of Flight: Taxi
Status: Minor, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Component Affected: The wingtip of the TAM Airbus A330.The wingtip of the TAM Airbus A330.
Investigating Agency: BFU Switz.BFU Switz.
Category: Accident
On December 27, 2001, a collision occurred between a TAM Airbus A330 (TAM8071) and a Crossair RJ.100 (CRX874) near Zurich Airport. The TAM A330, en route to S?o Paulo, was taxiing to gate B33, while the Crossair RJ.100 was preparing to depart to London City Airport. Due to a misjudgment regarding the RJ.100’s position relative to the taxiway, the TAM A330 rolled onto the runway, resulting in a collision. The crew of the RJ.100, who was parked with a brake set, felt a shock from the rolling aircraft and observed it passing on the left. Zurich Tower alerted the crew of the TAM A330-200, who remained unaware of the collision.On December 27, 2001, a collision occurred between a TAM Airbus A330 (TAM8071) and a Crossair RJ.100 (CRX874) near Zurich Airport. The TAM A330, en route to S?o Paulo, was taxiing to gate B33, while the Crossair RJ.100 was preparing to depart to London City Airport. Due to a misjudgment regarding the RJ.100’s position relative to the taxiway, the TAM A330 rolled onto the runway, resulting in a collision. The crew of the RJ.100, who was parked with a brake set, felt a shock from the rolling aircraft and observed it passing on the left. Zurich Tower alerted the crew of the TAM A330-200, who remained unaware of the collision.

Description

On the evening of 27 December 2001 A TAM Airbus A330 was planning a departure from Zurich via Frankfurt to S?o Paulo. At about the same time Crossair flight CRX874, an Avro RJ.100, was preparing for departure to London City Airport. The Avro RJ.100 taxied from the stand via taxiway A to remote de-icing position east for a de-icing procedure. Since the remote de-icing area east was still occupied by two aircraft, the crew could only partially roll the aircraft into the by-pass area RWY28. The TAM Airbus A330 was de-iced at the gate B33 and rolled via taxiway A to the holding point for runway 28. In the area of the junction of taxiway A and the remote de-icing position east the right wingtip of the Airbus A330 collided with the vertical tail of the waiting Crossair RJ.100. The crew of the RJ.100, which was waiting with parking brake set, felt a shock of their aircraft, whereupon the commander saw the rolling Airbus 330-200 passing on the left. Assuming that the wing of the TAM airplane had grazed the Crossair plane, the crew of CRX874 immediately informed Zurich Tower at the appropriate frequency. The crew of the TAM A330-200 did not notice anything of the collision and was alerted by the call on the TWR frequency that they might have had a collision with another aircraft. The TAM crew then taxied back to gate B33. Causes: The collision occurred because the crew of the rolling TAM8071 did not realize that CRX874, which had stopped on the right side of the taxiway, had not yet fully rolled into the ‘standby for deicing’ position and the available space is insufficient to allow a plane of the size of an A330-200 to pass. To the incident may have contributed: – Possible distraction of the copilot of TAM8071, responsible for obstacle clearance on the right side, by the frequency change to the TWR frequency.

Primary Cause

Inadequate coordination and awareness regarding the RJ.100’s position relative to the taxiway, leading to insufficient space for the TAM A330 to maneuver safely.Inadequate coordination and awareness regarding the RJ.100’s position relative to the taxiway, leading to insufficient space for the TAM A330 to maneuver safely.

Share on:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *