NYC99LA092

A baggage belt-loader struck the parked airplane in an area below the cargo door. The vehicle approached the airplane without stopping, and the driver jumped off just before the collision. At the time, the airplane's engines were secured, the wheels were chocked, the seat belt sign had been turned off, and the parking checklist had been completed. The passengers were standing, and the flight attendant was waiting for the signal to open the door. Ground support personnel checked the belt-loader braking system immediately after the collision and found no discrepancies. The airline had a published procedure in place, wherein the belt-loader driver was required to stop the vehicle 50 feet prior to the airplane, and again, at least 8 feet away from the airplane. The driver was then required to approach the airplane with the belt-loader at a 'creep' speed.

On April 12, 1999, at 1926 Eastern Daylight Time, a Saab 340B, N347BE, operated as Business Express flight 6240, was substantially damaged when a baggage belt-loader sliced through a portion of the fuselage, in an area under the cargo door. The airplane had just been parked at the gate, at General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts. The two pilots, one flight attendant, and six passengers onboard were uninjured, as was the belt-loader driver. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the scheduled passenger flight, which arrived from Northern Maine Regional Airport (PQI), Presque Isle, Maine. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.

According to the captain's statement, the airplane was parked and chocked, with the engines secured, when the belt-loader struck it. The airplane's seat belt sign had been turned off, and the parking checklist had been completed. The passengers were standing, and the flight attendant was waiting for the signal to open the door.

According to the airline's director of safety, the operator of the belt-loader drove the vehicle towards the airplane's cargo door area without stopping. As it approached the airplane, the driver jumped off the belt-loader, just before it impacted the fuselage. Ground support personnel checked the belt-loader braking system immediately after the collision, and found no discrepancies.

According to the airline's Ground Support Manual, "Any vehicle approaching an aircraft is required to stop 50 ft. (15 m.) away. Then, it will be eased up to within 8 ft. (2 m.) and again come to a stop. From that point, the driver will carefully creep up to the aircraft. Ground equipment aircraft strikes will be prevented by using this 'Fifty 'N Eight' stop - stop - creep technique."