What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 24, 2023, at 1535Z, privacy data omittedprivacy data omitted, registration f-hrbe, a Boeing 787, struck a light pole while taxiing on the ramp at Raleigh Durham (rdu) airport. The pole caused damage to the left wing.
According to privacy data omitted of privacy data omitted, the NTSB and bea determined the event was not significant and did not investigate. The privacy data omitted safety team (sms) provided elements of their report which noted that several earlier pilot reports showed concern about taxiing to gate C24A at rdu. The reports included the following:
* Challenging parking stand, airport information insufficient on charts.
* Correct routing to the parking stand C24 difficult to find at night.
* Aircraft towed in due to taxiing error.
Air france has since decided to update the taxi charts to the crews to improve the situation. However, the scheduled publication of the new charts was not in time to prevent the damage on November 24, 2023.
Flight crew occurrence description: after landing on 05L, we vacate via B6 and are cleared to taxiways b, then T6 to gate C24A. As we are established on the center line after T6, I see clearly the C24A marking ahead of us. We then hear from apron control to turn left on b, followed by confirmation of the gate. We both interpret this clearance as a request to switch to the left lane. The pf starts steering left, but before reaching the left line steers back right towards the middle line.
During that maneuver I feel a light jerk similar to a breaking action. Apron then request us to stop and informs us our left wingtip hit a pylon. We stop and shut down engines for an airframe check. We are then towed to the gate.
Rdu ATCT sent an aircraft accident/incident prelimiinary notice to the regional operations center (roc). The description stated there was a dent in the left wing. Rduaa personnel talked to the pilot and the ramp controller. They stated that "apparently the pilot was instructed to turn onto T6 and transition to the centerline, however, the pilot turned onto T7 (taxi lane) and followed the outer line. This put the aircraft at a close proximity to the light pole, which it eventually struck." Rdu was immediately advised of the incident and sent a late report to the roc.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 24, 2023, AT 1535Z, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTRATION F-HRBE, A BOEING 787, STRUCK A LIGHT POLE WHILE TAXIING ON THE RAMP AT RALEIGH DURHAM (RDU) AIRPORT. THE POLE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.
ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE NTSB AND BEA DETERMINED THE EVENT WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT AND DID NOT INVESTIGATE. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAFETY TEAM (SMS) PROVIDED ELEMENTS OF THEIR REPORT WHICH NOTED THAT SEVERAL EARLIER PILOT REPORTS SHOWED CONCERN ABOUT TAXIING TO GATE C24A AT RDU. THE REPORTS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:
* CHALLENGING PARKING STAND, AIRPORT INFORMATION INSUFFICIENT ON CHARTS.
* CORRECT ROUTING TO THE PARKING STAND C24 DIFFICULT TO FIND AT NIGHT.
* AIRCRAFT TOWED IN DUE TO TAXIING ERROR.
AIR FRANCE HAS SINCE DECIDED TO UPDATE THE TAXI CHARTS TO THE CREWS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. HOWEVER, THE SCHEDULED PUBLICATION OF THE NEW CHARTS WAS NOT IN TIME TO PREVENT THE DAMAGE ON NOVEMBER 24, 2023.
FLIGHT CREW OCCURRENCE DESCRIPTION: AFTER LANDING ON 05L, WE VACATE VIA B6 AND ARE CLEARED TO TAXIWAYS B, THEN T6 TO GATE C24A. AS WE ARE ESTABLISHED ON THE CENTER LINE AFTER T6, I SEE CLEARLY THE C24A MARKING AHEAD OF US. WE THEN HEAR FROM APRON CONTROL TO TURN LEFT ON B, FOLLOWED BY CONFIRMATION OF THE GATE. WE BOTH INTERPRET THIS CLEARANCE AS A REQUEST TO SWITCH TO THE LEFT LANE. THE PF STARTS STEERING LEFT, BUT BEFORE REACHING THE LEFT LINE STEERS BACK RIGHT TOWARDS THE MIDDLE LINE.
DURING THAT MANEUVER I FEEL A LIGHT JERK SIMILAR TO A BREAKING ACTION. APRON THEN REQUEST US TO STOP AND INFORMS US OUR LEFT WINGTIP HIT A PYLON. WE STOP AND SHUT DOWN ENGINES FOR AN AIRFRAME CHECK. WE ARE THEN TOWED TO THE GATE.
RDU ATCT SENT AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT/INCIDENT PRELIMIINARY NOTICE TO THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC). THE DESCRIPTION STATED THERE WAS A DENT IN THE LEFT WING. RDUAA PERSONNEL TALKED TO THE PILOT AND THE RAMP CONTROLLER. THEY STATED THAT "APPARENTLY THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN ONTO T6 AND TRANSITION TO THE CENTERLINE, HOWEVER, THE PILOT TURNED ONTO T7 (TAXI LANE) AND FOLLOWED THE OUTER LINE. THIS PUT THE AIRCRAFT AT A CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE LIGHT POLE, WHICH IT EVENTUALLY STRUCK." RDU WAS IMMEDIATELY ADVISED OF THE INCIDENT AND SENT A LATE REPORT TO THE ROC.