Description

On 22 December 2003, a Boeing 737-700 being operated by UK Operator Easyjet on a scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam to London Gatwick was taxiing for departure at night in normal visibility and took a different route to that instructed by ATC. The alternative route was, unknown to the flight crew, covered with ice and as a consequence, an attempt to maintain directional control during a turn was unsuccessful and the aircraft left wing collided with a lamp-post. The collision seriously damaged the aircraft and the lamp post. One passenger sustained slight injuries because of the impact. The diagram below taken from the official investigation report shows the area where the collision occurred.

Investigation

The Accident was investigated by the Dutch Safety Board. It was established that having noted from the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) the presence of ‘slippery spots’ on the taxiway system the aircraft commander, who had noted an instruction from ATC to taxi via taxiway ‘V’ to Runway 36L, decided not to taxi via this taxiway, but via the parallel taxiway ‘VS’. He reported taking this decision because, among other things, the aircraft would then need to make fewer sharp turns. He observed that during earlier flights which he had made to Amsterdam, he had noted that he had always been able to choose between these two taxiways. The fact that taxiway ‘VS’ was at that time untreated, then led directly to the taxiway excursion and collision.