Description

On 15 October 2007, an Airbus 340-300 being operated on a scheduled passenger flight by Air Lanka with a heavy crew in the flight deck was taxiing towards the departure runway at London Heathrow at night in normal visibility when the right wing tip hit and sheared off the left hand winglet of a stationary British Airways Boeing 747-400 which was in a queue on an adjacent taxiway. The Airbus 340 sustained only minor damage to the right winglet and navigation light. The diagram below shows the conflict (but incorrectly shows the A340 as a -600).

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB. This noted that the Boeing 747-400 had stopped well clear of a stationary Boeing 777 ahead to preclude the risk of damaging jet blast and to avoid stopping in the turn ahead, this preventing stress on the landing gear and avoiding the use of excessive thrust when taxiing was resumed. The A340 had been cleared along the taxiway past the Boeing 747 and had assumed that the illuminated green centerline lights indicated that a clear route was available.