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| Date: | Saturday 19 August 2000 |
| Time: | 21:20 |
| Type: |  Airbus A310-304 |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Airlines |
| Registration: | C-GRYI |
| MSN: | 432 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1986 |
| Engine model: | GE CF6-80C2A2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 259 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor, repaired |
| Category: | Incident |
| Location: | London Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK) -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | |
| London Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Stand 15 at London Gatwick Airport has Azimuth Guidance for Nose-In Stands (AGNIS) and Parallax Aircraft Parking (PAPA) systems. Emergency Stop buttons are available at ground level and in the jetty head. Activation of either button extinguishes both the AGNIS and the PAPA and a red STOP sign is illuminated in the area below the AGNIS.
The aircraft was taxied onto Stand 15 but the commander failed to bring it to a halt before the left engine cowl struck the underside of the jetty.
Commander's report:
The company Airfield Plates for London Gatwick Airport did not contain any information on the stand entry guidance system in use.
As the aircraft turned onto the stand, the commander saw that both the green stand number '15' and the AGNIS system were illuminated. The remainder of the stand appeared to be in darkness and he did not notice the PAPA board. Both pilots concentrated on the AGNIS but periodically looked at the dark panel to the right of it. They expected to see some form of stopping information, similar to that they were accustomed to in, for example, Vancouver. The commander reported that he felt uneasy as the aircraft got closer to the terminal building but thought that the AGNIS would flash or go off if the aircraft was in any danger. He then decided that "something was just not right" and stopped the aircraft, set the park brake and shut down both engines. The crew felt no impact and it was not until later that the commander saw that the left engine had struck the jetty.
The commander reported that, about 5 minutes after the aircraft had stopped, he noticed the PAPA board and observed that the white vertical light was illuminated but "the front floodlights had not been turned on."
The commander had had a very demanding schedule over the previous two days which was made worse by rescheduling and delay. He considered that the consequent fatigue he felt may have been a factor in this incident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f6d0e5274a1317000653/dft_avsafety_pdf_501479.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10077793 (Photo)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Feb-2025 15:52 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 14-Feb-2025 15:53 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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