What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/1/2025, at 1830Z, privacy data omitted, from bos to icn, a B777-300ER,privacy data omitted, was hit by a de-icing truck. The aircraft returned to the gate and passengers were deplaned. The aircraft's r/h wing-tip was damaged because of which the aircraft was unable to be dispatched.
Flight information
A. flight number: privacy data omitted (bos - icn)
B. date: 2025.02.01
C. aircraft type / registration: B777-300ER / privacy data omitted
D. crew information - redacted
Findings:
A. the flight was scheduled to depart Boston Logan International Airport at 1100L(1600 UTC), and the weather at the time required aircraft to be de/anti-iced before departure. The maintenance personnel were informed by the PIC accordingly. METAR kbos 011554Z 34013G22KT 2 1/2SM -sn FEW009 BKN011 OVC019 M03/M06 A3000 rmk AO2 pk wnd 33027/1525 SLP156 P0001 T10281056=
B. de/anti-icing was carried out by the ground handling agencyprivacy data omitted, and the aircraft was pushed back about 10 feet from gate E11 before applying the fluids.
C. the de-icing process began at 1311L, and two trucks simultaneously sprayed the fluids from both sides of the aircraft.
D. the privacy data omitted maintenance was on watch on the left side of the aircraft while the other truck applied the fluid on the right side.
E. application of second fluid (anti-ice fluid) began at 1340L, and the truck moved to the aft of the right wing as the wind was blowing the fluid and was adversely affecting positive application of the fluid.
F. kal SOP dictates de/anti-ice vehicle movement at least 3 meters / 9.84 feet away from the aircraft, and any fluid application on the wing be conducted while positioned in the forward side of each wing.
G. privacy data omitted SOP states that alternate strategies for de-icing can be applied in weather conditions that may impact de-icing operations.
< privacy data omitted deicing operation manual >
- Extreme weather conditions may impact deicing operations and may require alternate strategies for deicing.
- Apply deicing fluid from the leading edge to the trailing edge starting at the highest point, local conditions and vehicle patterns may dictate a different procedure.
< privacy data omitted deicing operation manual - two truck operation >
< privacy data omitted deicing operation manual - safety precautions >
Caution
A. when entering behind the wing on either side of the aircraft, you should only ever face the truck towards the fuselage. Drive straight in and reverse back out without making any sharp turns.
D. the truck must be under the guidance of the basket operator for all truck movements.
E. make maximum use of the boom to move the basket/enclosed cab into your deicing position and minimize truck movements.
H. the truck driver moved the vehicle backwards without guidance nor checking the space between the sprayer and the aircraft; and the boom of the truck made contact with the right wing-tip of the aircraft.
I. The damage to the wing-tip casting assembly, position light, and diverter strip was confirmed after the impact. As a result, the aircraft was unable to be dispatched until repair on the damaged parts was made.
Root cause
Procedural error:
A. the de/anti-ice truck driver failed to maintain clearance from the aircraft while moving backwards.
- privacy data omitted SOP requires the guidance from the basket operator for all truck movements; however, this procedure was not followed by the driver.
B. communication between the driver and the sprayer.
- Communication between the driver and the sprayer did not take place on the movement of the vehicle while operating behind the wing.
Contributing factor
Inadequate supervision:
A. there was a. there was no one on the right side of the aircraft to provide an oversight during de/anti-ice process.
Inadequate use of the boom
A. use of the boom is recommended to the maximum extent to minimize the truck movement; however, the fluid application and the vehicle movement took place simultaneously.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/1/2025, AT 1830Z, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FROM BOS TO ICN, A B777-300ER,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS HIT BY A DE-ICING TRUCK. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE GATE AND PASSENGERS WERE DEPLANED. THE AIRCRAFT'S R/H WING-TIP WAS DAMAGED BECAUSE OF WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO BE DISPATCHED.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
A. FLIGHT NUMBER: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (BOS - ICN)
B. DATE: 2025.02.01
C. AIRCRAFT TYPE / REGISTRATION: B777-300ER / ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
D. CREW INFORMATION - REDACTED
FINDINGS:
A. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 1100L(1600 UTC), AND THE WEATHER AT THE TIME REQUIRED AIRCRAFT TO BE DE/ANTI-ICED BEFORE DEPARTURE. THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE INFORMED BY THE PIC ACCORDINGLY. METAR KBOS 011554Z 34013G22KT 2 1/2SM -SN FEW009 BKN011 OVC019 M03/M06 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 33027/1525 SLP156 P0001 T10281056=
B. DE/ANTI-ICING WAS CARRIED OUT BY THE GROUND HANDLING AGENCY^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK ABOUT 10 FEET FROM GATE E11 BEFORE APPLYING THE FLUIDS.
C. THE DE-ICING PROCESS BEGAN AT 1311L, AND TWO TRUCKS SIMULTANEOUSLY SPRAYED THE FLUIDS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRCRAFT.
D. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MAINTENANCE WAS ON WATCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE THE OTHER TRUCK APPLIED THE FLUID ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
E. APPLICATION OF SECOND FLUID (ANTI-ICE FLUID) BEGAN AT 1340L, AND THE TRUCK MOVED TO THE AFT OF THE RIGHT WING AS THE WIND WAS BLOWING THE FLUID AND WAS ADVERSELY AFFECTING POSITIVE APPLICATION OF THE FLUID.
F. KAL SOP DICTATES DE/ANTI-ICE VEHICLE MOVEMENT AT LEAST 3 METERS / 9.84 FEET AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND ANY FLUID APPLICATION ON THE WING BE CONDUCTED WHILE POSITIONED IN THE FORWARD SIDE OF EACH WING.
G. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SOP STATES THAT ALTERNATE STRATEGIES FOR DE-ICING CAN BE APPLIED IN WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MAY IMPACT DE-ICING OPERATIONS.
< ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEICING OPERATION MANUAL >
- EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY IMPACT DEICING OPERATIONS AND MAY REQUIRE ALTERNATE STRATEGIES FOR DEICING.
- APPLY DEICING FLUID FROM THE LEADING EDGE TO THE TRAILING EDGE STARTING AT THE HIGHEST POINT, LOCAL CONDITIONS AND VEHICLE PATTERNS MAY DICTATE A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE.
< ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEICING OPERATION MANUAL - TWO TRUCK OPERATION >
< ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEICING OPERATION MANUAL - SAFETY PRECAUTIONS >
CAUTION
A. WHEN ENTERING BEHIND THE WING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, YOU SHOULD ONLY EVER FACE THE TRUCK TOWARDS THE FUSELAGE. DRIVE STRAIGHT IN AND REVERSE BACK OUT WITHOUT MAKING ANY SHARP TURNS.
D. THE TRUCK MUST BE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BASKET OPERATOR FOR ALL TRUCK MOVEMENTS.
E. MAKE MAXIMUM USE OF THE BOOM TO MOVE THE BASKET/ENCLOSED CAB INTO YOUR DEICING POSITION AND MINIMIZE TRUCK MOVEMENTS.
H. THE TRUCK DRIVER MOVED THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS WITHOUT GUIDANCE NOR CHECKING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SPRAYER AND THE AIRCRAFT; AND THE BOOM OF THE TRUCK MADE CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT WING-TIP OF THE AIRCRAFT.
I. THE DAMAGE TO THE WING-TIP CASTING ASSEMBLY, POSITION LIGHT, AND DIVERTER STRIP WAS CONFIRMED AFTER THE IMPACT. AS A RESULT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO BE DISPATCHED UNTIL REPAIR ON THE DAMAGED PARTS WAS MADE.
ROOT CAUSE
PROCEDURAL ERROR:
A. THE DE/ANTI-ICE TRUCK DRIVER FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHILE MOVING BACKWARDS.
- ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SOP REQUIRES THE GUIDANCE FROM THE BASKET OPERATOR FOR ALL TRUCK MOVEMENTS; HOWEVER, THIS PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED BY THE DRIVER.
B. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND THE SPRAYER.
- COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND THE SPRAYER DID NOT TAKE PLACE ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE OPERATING BEHIND THE WING.
CONTRIBUTING FACTOR
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION:
A. THERE WAS A. THERE WAS NO ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO PROVIDE AN OVERSIGHT DURING DE/ANTI-ICE PROCESS.
INADEQUATE USE OF THE BOOM
A. USE OF THE BOOM IS RECOMMENDED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT TO MINIMIZE THE TRUCK MOVEMENT; HOWEVER, THE FLUID APPLICATION AND THE VEHICLE MOVEMENT TOOK PLACE SIMULTANEOUSLY.