What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
When AS155, a B-737-700 passenger aircraft arrived in otz, it was parked with the intent it would complete a 180-degree turn to depart the ramp area. It was parked behind and to the right of another B737-700 freighter aircraft. Before AS155 taxied out, the captain declined the rampers offer of a 180-degree turn and wanted to taxi in a direction that would pass by the right side of the freighter aircraft. The captains decision was possibly based on recent jet-blast events on the otz ramp.
The station had the required ground crew plus one additional lead ramper providing support to an inexperienced ground crew member. The lead ramper did not have wands. When preparing to taxi, rampers positioned themselves near the right wing of the parked freighter aircraft.
As AS155 taxied past the freighter aircraft, their wing-tips collided, causing winglet damage to both aircraft. AS155 stopped, and after assessing the situation with ground crew, taxied back to the ramp. Just prior to the incident, the marshaller and the lead ramper noticed they needed an emergency stop, but they could not advise the pilots, due to their position on the ground behind the view of the pilots. The inexperienced ramper said, ?I was watching the wing-tip and didn?t hear the lead ramper yell ?stop? ?, and never signaled for the aircraft to stop.
Asaa airport operations customer service has been investigating this event and an asaa safety team is conducting an audit of the otz station. The results of this audit will be used to train other stations and employees to prevent a similar incident. Asaa cmo inspectors will be attending this audit and conducting a station inspection.
As the FAA filed it
WHEN AS155, A B-737-700 PASSENGER AIRCRAFT ARRIVED IN OTZ, IT WAS PARKED WITH THE INTENT IT WOULD COMPLETE A 180-DEGREE TURN TO DEPART THE RAMP AREA. IT WAS PARKED BEHIND AND TO THE RIGHT OF ANOTHER B737-700 FREIGHTER AIRCRAFT. BEFORE AS155 TAXIED OUT, THE CAPTAIN DECLINED THE RAMPERS OFFER OF A 180-DEGREE TURN AND WANTED TO TAXI IN A DIRECTION THAT WOULD PASS BY THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREIGHTER AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAINS DECISION WAS POSSIBLY BASED ON RECENT JET-BLAST EVENTS ON THE OTZ RAMP.
THE STATION HAD THE REQUIRED GROUND CREW PLUS ONE ADDITIONAL LEAD RAMPER PROVIDING SUPPORT TO AN INEXPERIENCED GROUND CREW MEMBER. THE LEAD RAMPER DID NOT HAVE WANDS. WHEN PREPARING TO TAXI, RAMPERS POSITIONED THEMSELVES NEAR THE RIGHT WING OF THE PARKED FREIGHTER AIRCRAFT.
AS AS155 TAXIED PAST THE FREIGHTER AIRCRAFT, THEIR WING-TIPS COLLIDED, CAUSING WINGLET DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. AS155 STOPPED, AND AFTER ASSESSING THE SITUATION WITH GROUND CREW, TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP. JUST PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE MARSHALLER AND THE LEAD RAMPER NOTICED THEY NEEDED AN EMERGENCY STOP, BUT THEY COULD NOT ADVISE THE PILOTS, DUE TO THEIR POSITION ON THE GROUND BEHIND THE VIEW OF THE PILOTS. THE INEXPERIENCED RAMPER SAID, ?I WAS WATCHING THE WING-TIP AND DIDN?T HEAR THE LEAD RAMPER YELL ?STOP? ?, AND NEVER SIGNALED FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO STOP.
ASAA AIRPORT OPERATIONS CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS EVENT AND AN ASAA SAFETY TEAM IS CONDUCTING AN AUDIT OF THE OTZ STATION. THE RESULTS OF THIS AUDIT WILL BE USED TO TRAIN OTHER STATIONS AND EMPLOYEES TO PREVENT A SIMILAR INCIDENT. ASAA CMO INSPECTORS WILL BE ATTENDING THIS AUDIT AND CONDUCTING A STATION INSPECTION.
Other reports on N644AS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.