Event Details

Title:

Ground collision, Airbus A340, A40-LB and Boeing 757-236, G-BIKG, Heathrow, 23 November 1995

Micro summary:

Collision between a 747 and 757 while taxiing at Heathrow.

Event Time:

1995-11-23 at 1031 UTC

File Name:

1995-11-23-UK.pdf

Publishing Agency:

Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB)

Publishing Country:

United Kingdom

Report number:

Bulletin 7/96 (EW/C95/11/4)

Pages:

Site of event:

Heathrow Airport

First Airplane

Second Airplane

Departure:

London Heathrow Airport, London, England, United Kingdom

London Heathrow Airport, London, England

Destination:

Unknown

Airplane Type(s):

Airbus A340

Boeing 757-236

Flight Phase:

Taxi

Registration(s):

A40-LB

G-BIKG

Operator(s):

Gulf Air

British Airways

Type of flight:

Revenue

Occupants:

258

120

Fatalities:

Serious Injuries:

Minor/Non-Injured:

258

120

Other Injuries:

Executive Summary:

The accident occurred in daylight, fine weather and good visibility. The Boeing 757 callsign Shuttle 6N pushed back from stand A3 at 1013 hrs with no ATC slot time required. After starting engines,the aircraft was cleared by the ground movement controller to taxy via the outer taxiway for runway 27R. The A340 pushed back from stand L3 at 1010 hrs to make good its approved departure time of 1020 hrs and received the same clearance from the ground movement controller but, having a greater distance to taxi, was behind the Boeing 757 on its way to the holding area.

Both aircraft entered the holding area via Block 32(O) where there was a queue of aircraft waiting to depart. At 1020 hrs the crew of Shuttle 6N were instructed to "HOLD FOR BLOCK 18". The aircraft was taxied by the co-pilot from the holding area into the taxiway of Block 137 where it remained, stationary, until the accident. The A340 was behind several aircraft including an Aer Lingus Boeing 737 and an MD11. Between 1023 and 1031 hrs, ATC made several requests to pilots to taxy intoa different position. These calls took the forms of "START PULLING FORWARD NOW"; "PULL FORWARD BEHIND THE ALITALIA"; "PULL OVER TO THE LEFT" and "PULL FORWARD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE PLEASE". At 1025 hrs the controller asked the MD11 crew to "PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BEHIND THE SYRIAN AIR" to which its pilot replied "YOU HAD US PULL UP BEHIND THE AER LINGUS SO WE CAN'T NOW". Next the controller asked the crew of a Boeing 757 behind the A340 whether they could manoeuvre for a Block 18 departure but the crew replied that they were unable to do so. They were then instructed to "PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE FOR A FULL LENGTH".

During the next five minutes an A320, a Boeing 727 and a Boeing 757 departed from the full length and a Boeing 737 departed from Block 17. Another Boeing 737 began its take-off run from the full length after the departure from Block 17. As it did so,the MD11 followed by the A340 began to move forward. At 1031hrs the left hand wingtip of the A340 struck the Boeing 757's rudder and fin.

The impact was felt in both aircraft. In the Boeing 757 two cabin crew standing by the aft galley received minor injuries when they lost their balance but no one on board the A340 was injured. After the collision the A340 commander taxied a few feet further forward to ensure that his wing tip was clear of the 757's APU. Both aircraft then remained parked whilst the emergency services were summoned by ATC. The Airport Fire Service arrived shortly after the accident and supervised the deplaning of all the passengers via mobile airstairs and into coaches.

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Learning Keywords:	Operations - Ground Collision
	Consequence - Damage - Airframe or fuselage
	Consequence - Flight Attendant Fatality - Injury


Close match:	Ground collision between Boeing 777-223 and Boeing 737-823, Miami, September 13, 2002