Ground collision during simultaneous pushback, Boeing 737-800, PH-BXH and Airbus A320, OE-IVQ, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
At 07.10 hours, the ground controller cleared the Airbus A320, parked at gate D25, for a pushback and start-up. Directly after the pushback clearance for the A320, the B737 reported ready on the D-apron. The first assessment of the ground controller was that the position of the B737 would not interfere with any other traffic on the D-apron and he instructed a standard pushback to the B737’s flight crew.
Just after the moment he had cleared the B737 at D48, the ground controller saw the A320 that was parked opposite to the B737, starting a push back. He was convinced that the A320, which then started moving backwards, was a different aircraft than the A320 he had just cleared and was towed under the control of Apron Control. However, this was the aircraft that he had just cleared for pushback. His attempt to relay the stop message to the A320 via Apron Control was futile. The interventions taken by the ground controller could not prevent both aircraft from colliding with each other. The B737’s left-hand horizontal stabilizer and the left-hand wing of the A320 came into contact. The aircraft were substantially damaged and required major repair.
The full analysis of this accident can be found in the quarterly aviation report over the 4th quarter of 2021.
