Incident Overview
Description
The DHC-8 aircraft was parked on Stand 8 at Aberdeen Airport, U.K. All the passengers were on board and the engines had been started. Shortly after the Ground Power Unit (GPU) cables had been disconnected from the aircraft, and with nobody in the cab, the GPU moved forward and struck the rotating propeller on the right engine before coming to rest against the fuselage. All the occupants exited the aircraft through the passenger door and no one was injured. The right propeller had suffered significant damage to all four blades and to its hub. The right engine had come to an abrupt halt and, as a result, the engine required a complete overhaul. Also, there was a dent in the fuselage with associated local damage to the fuselage structure. Conclusions: The incident occurred because the GPU was being operated with a worn ball joint on the governor rod, a worn fuel pump spring and a worn gate in the forward-neutral-reverse selector. These three mechanical defects are attributed to: a) Inadequacies in the operator’s maintenance system, including defect reporting. b) The lack of appropriate checks in the manufacturer’s recommended servicing schedule
Primary Cause
Inadequate maintenance practices, specifically the presence of worn ball joint, fuel pump spring, and gate selector, leading to mechanical failures.Inadequate maintenance practices, specifically the presence of worn ball joint, fuel pump spring, and gate selector, leading to mechanical failures.Share on:
