Description

On 16 February 2005, at Luton Airport, a Boeing B767-300 collided with the tug pulling it forward when the shear pin of the unserviceable tow bar being used to pull the aircraft broke. The aircraft ran onto the tug when the ground crew stopped the tug suddenly. As result of the collision with the tug the aircraft fuselage and landing gear was damaged.

Synopsis

The following is an extract from the official Report on the Accident investigated by UK AAIB:

"The aircraft had been pushed back, with engines running, and the ground handling crew was then asked to tow it forward. During the manoeuvre the towbar shear pins failed, the tug was braked to a stop and the aircraft ran into the tug. Ownership of the towbar was not clear and consequently it had not been maintained and was unserviceable. The ground crew’s training had not prepared them for towing an aircraft forwards."

The Investigation

The cause of the accident is identified in the Report in the section addressing the lack of standardisation regarding the oversight of airport airside ground services: