Event Details


Title:Ground collision between Airbus A340-313, 6Y-JMP and Boeing 777-222, Heathrow, N781UA
Micro summary:While taxiing, this Boeing 777 collides with an Airbus A340.
Event Time:2004-07-14 at 1254 UTC
File Name:2004-07-14-UK.pdf
Publishing Agency:Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB)
Publishing Country:United Kingdom
Report number:EW/C2004/07/03
Pages:9
Site of event:Holding Area, Runway 27L, Heathrow
First AirplaneSecond Airplane
Departure:London Heathrow Airport, London, England, United KingdomLondon Heathrow Airport, London, England
Destination:UnknownUnknown
Airplane Type(s):Airbus A340-313Boeing 777-222
Flight Phase:TaxiTaxi
Registration(s):6Y-JMPN781UA
Operator(s):Air JamaicaUnited Airlines
Type of flight:RevenueRevenue
Occupants:277Unknown
Fatalities:0Unknown
Serious Injuries:0Unknown
Minor/Non-Injured:277Unknown
Other Injuries:0Unknown
Executive Summary:The holding area for Runway 27L at London Heathrow Airport is wide enough for two ‘heavy’ aircraft to position side by side and aircraft entering this area essentially follow a single yellow taxiway centreline, which then splits into two parallel lines. Prior to departure, an Airbus A340 was stationary, well short of the N2W traffic bar behind an Airbus A320, which was stopped at the NB2W traffic bar, in the holding area awaiting its turn to line up. It was positioned on the southern most line, on the right of the holding area. Whilst in that position, a Boeing 777 was instructed to taxi forward and hold on the left of the holding area. As it passed behind the A340, the handling pilot made use of reference points within the cockpit to assure wingtip clearance from the A340’s tail but, as he continued along the northern taxiway line, the right wingtip of the B777 made contact with the left winglet of the A340. At the point of contact, the B777 had not reached the section of the line parallel to that upon which the A340 was parked. Although the B777 flight crew thought that the A340 was closer than it might be at other airports, this was not considered unusual for Heathrow.

Four recommendations are made addressing issues arising from the preservation of Cockpit Voice Recorder data.

Learning Keywords:Operations - Airport Markings or Lighting
Operations - Ground Collision
Consequence - Damage - Airframe or fuselage
Close match:Collision with edge lights on takeoff, Serious incident on March 5, 2002 at Dresden Airport involving an Aerospatiale ATR-72-212i
Collision with runway edge lights, Serious incident occurring 18 December 2000 at Dresden Airport to a Saab 2000
Ground collision between a Boeing 767-300ER and a Boeing 737-924, Houston, December 15, 2005
Ground collision between a Boeing 777-200, N781AN and an Airbus A340-300, TC-JDK, at London Heathrow Airport, November 6, 2005

 




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