Jet hits stationary plane but both continued flights

Two passenger jets, including a Ryanair holiday flight, continued their journeys despite both aircraft being damaged in a ground incident at Barcelona Airport last year.

In its annual report for 2011, Spain’s Comision de Investigacion de Accidentes e Incidents de Aviacion Civil confirmed the circumstances of the Apr 14, 2011, incident.

The Spanish authorities confirmed the ground collision incident involved an American Airlines jet bound for New York and a Ryanair flight destined for the Spanish island of Ibiza that carried 169 passengers.

Almost a year to the day later, on Apr 13 this year, another Ryanair jet was involved in a similar incident at Seville Airport. Both matters are being investigated by the commission.

Investigators have confirmed that the Apr 2011 incident at Barcelona Airport involved an American Airlines jet which was stopped at the holding point for runway 25L and a Ryanair aircraft which was taxiing towards the same runway.

While maneouvering to pass behind the American Airlines Boeing 767-300, the Ryanair Boeing 737-800 made contact with the stationary plane.

While not detailed in the preliminary report, it is understood that a number of passengers onboard the Ryanair flight observed the right-hand wing of the aircraft clip the tailplane section of the American Airlines jet.

Passengers undid their seat belts and rose from their seats to attract the attention of the cabin crew and informed one staff member that their plane had hit the one beside them.

It is believed the flight attendant notified the purser, who then instructed her to contact the flight deck and notify the captain.

The captain was informed but said that everything was fine and continued with the take-off about two minutes after the American Airlines jet departed.

After take-off, passengers continued to press the cabin crew about the incident, expressing concern that the flight was not safe.

One passengers identified himself as an engineer but was told that the captain had been informed and had confirmed that everything was fine.

After landing in Ibiza, several passengers again challenged crew members in relation to the decision to continue the flight after colliding with another plane.

It was later established that both planes had sustained damage in the incident but that neither crew reported anything unusual at the time.

The commission confirmed the Ryanair aircraft received damage to its right-hand winglet, while the American Airlines jet sustained damage to its left-hand stabiliser.

A Ryanair spokesman said: “Ryanair reported this incident to the Irish and Spanish authorities and fully assisted with the subsequent investigation, which apportioned no blame to Ryanair and delivered no safety recommendations or requirements.”