Accident Dassault Falcon 7X VQ-BSF,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 319978

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Date:	Thursday 24 November 2016
Time:	14:50
Type:	Dassault Falcon 7X
Owner/operator:	Shell Aircraft
Registration:	VQ-BSF
MSN:	113
Year of manufacture:	2009
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	London City Airport (LCY) - United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	London City Airport (LCY/EGLC)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The aircraft had arrived from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on a private flight. The weather was good and the airport's apron surface at London City Airport was dry. The intention of the ground handling staff was to park the aircraft on the General Aviation (GA) apron, located at the western end of the airport, 'nose in' to the Jet Centre terminal building.
Other aircraft were parked on the apron and a marshaller and two wing walkers were in position to guide VQ-BSO between two parked aircraft. VQ-BSF was parked on the western end of the apron further forward than normal and its flight crew were in their
seats, as they were shortly due to depart. Another Falcon 7X was parked on Stand 15, facing approximately north.
The commander of VQ-BSO was occupying the right pilot's seat , with the co-pilot, as the handling pilot, in the left seat taxiing the aircraft. Initially, the co-pilot followed the taxi line into the parking area and then, having identified the marshaller, followed his signals, whilst the commander monitored the right wing walker. The aircraft was marshalled ahead until clear of the parked aircraft on its left and beyond what the handling pilot, who had parked on the GA apron at London City before, thought was the normal turning point. The co-pilot remarked on this to the commander and, shortly afterwards, the marshaller indicated a left turn towards the terminal. The handling pilot followed the signals whilst the commander monitored the right wing tip. The marshaller then indicated a tighter left turn and both flight crew watched his signals. As the turn tightened, the speed of the right wing tip increased and the wing walker monitoring the right wing tip realised, at a late stage, that there was insufficient clearance. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, in a STOP signal, instead of above his head, but this was not seen by the marshaller, who, at that point, was looking to his right. The impact of the right winglet of VQ-BSO on the nose of VQ-BSF was felt by VQ-BSO's flight crew, who brought the aircraft to a stop.

Although the damage to the radome and radar antenna of VQ-BSF was significant, the winglet of VQ-BSO only suffered minor abrasions and, following an engineering inspection, required no maintenance action. There were no injuries to persons on board either aircraft or on the ground.

Conclusion: The collision occurred due to the late left turn directed by the marshaller and him not seeing the STOP signal from the right wing walker, due to his attention being focussed on the left wing walker. The effect of 'wing growth' also contributed to the collision. Both the aircraft and airport operators have identified safety actions intended to prevent reoccurrence, which they are in the process of implementing.

Accident investigation: