What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 28, 2015, @ approximately 1745, American airlines flight 1575, an MD83 arriving ord from dfw was slowly and cautiously taxiing into gate K2 when the left wingtip struck a stationary deicing truck.
Results of the investigation revealed confusion on the ramp. The aircraft was initially using a digital guidance parking system for self-parking but simultaneously was being marshalled-in by someone with no wands. In addition, a wing walker was stationed on the right wing with lighted wands, while another wing walker was stationed by the left wing and near the deice truck with no wands. It was obvious from reviewing the video and interviewing the captain that communication between ground personnel was deficient. When the aircrafts left wingtip was approaching the deicing truck and a collision was imminent, the wing walker hid behindthe deicing truck. Even after the wingtip struck the deicing truck, the lead marshaller was still signaling the aircraft forward.
The weather conditions at the time were poor, with snow and sleet. Snow, slush, and ice covered the ground and ramp safety area markings. The lead-in line had been shoveled.
Any further recommendations or corrective actions are deferred to the American airlines cmo.
Recommendation: review ground operation marshalling procedures. Turn off the digital guidance parking system when marshlers are guiding aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 28, 2015, @ APPROXIMATELY 1745, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1575, AN MD83 ARRIVING ORD FROM DFW WAS SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY TAXIING INTO GATE K2 WHEN THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK A STATIONARY DEICING TRUCK.
RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONFUSION ON THE RAMP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INITIALLY USING A DIGITAL GUIDANCE PARKING SYSTEM FOR SELF-PARKING BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WAS BEING MARSHALLED-IN BY SOMEONE WITH NO WANDS. IN ADDITION, A WING WALKER WAS STATIONED ON THE RIGHT WING WITH LIGHTED WANDS, WHILE ANOTHER WING WALKER WAS STATIONED BY THE LEFT WING AND NEAR THE DEICE TRUCK WITH NO WANDS. IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM REVIEWING THE VIDEO AND INTERVIEWING THE CAPTAIN THAT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GROUND PERSONNEL WAS DEFICIENT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WINGTIP WAS APPROACHING THE DEICING TRUCK AND A COLLISION WAS IMMINENT, THE WING WALKER HID BEHINDTHE DEICING TRUCK. EVEN AFTER THE WINGTIP STRUCK THE DEICING TRUCK, THE LEAD MARSHALLER WAS STILL SIGNALING THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD.
THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE POOR, WITH SNOW AND SLEET. SNOW, SLUSH, AND ICE COVERED THE GROUND AND RAMP SAFETY AREA MARKINGS. THE LEAD-IN LINE HAD BEEN SHOVELED.
ANY FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE DEFERRED TO THE AMERICAN AIRLINES CMO.
RECOMMENDATION: REVIEW GROUND OPERATION MARSHALLING PROCEDURES. TURN OFF THE DIGITAL GUIDANCE PARKING SYSTEM WHEN MARSHLERS ARE GUIDING AIRCRAFT.
Other reports on N569AA · 1
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