Injuries Nil, Damage Minimal, In Dozing Driver Incident

Watching the choreography of a modern airline ramp, with a constant flow of aircraft, baggage-handling equipment, fuel trucks, and other ground servicing equipment, many a child has asked: "how come they don't bump into each other?"

The primary answer is that the people operating all these moving parts are skilled professionals who have had extensive training and follow rigid procedures (one of the most memorable moments in the first year of the TV Series "Airline" came when a young tug operator had to push a plane from the most difficult position, by himself, for the first time. He was as nervous as any first-solo pilot).

But the secondary answer is that, unfortunately, sometimes they do. 

Tuesday morning, March 15th, at 0616 EST a Continental Express regional jet and a jet-fuel truck operated by Million Air made contact on the ramp at Richmond International Airport in Virginia (ICAO: KRIC).

By all indications, it was a low-speed collision. No one was injured and damage to the ERJ is described as "minimal," according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. But it's the second prang this year between a Million Air refueler and a jetliner, and it happened as the jet was being pushed back for departure with 44 passengers and 3 crew on board.

While media reports indicated that the damage was not serious, the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection; the passengers disembarked and Continental Express agents tried to rebook them, ultimately arranging a new aircraft for Flight 2216. They arrived safely at Houston's Intercontinental Airport (KIAH), but over four hours behind schedule.

Contacted by Aero-News, Million Air Richmond's President, Gene McDonough, explained what caused the accident -- a dozing truck driver let the fuel truck roll forward in his sleep. "The employee had a valid driver's license and admitted that he'd dozed off, albeit in 'drive' while he was awaiting his next flight." Ouch; we can see the "dozer" jokes coming already.

Continental's online flight- and gate-status system shows the schedule of the canceled and reconstituted flight. Flight 2116, scheduled to depart at 0600 and arrive at 0824, instead returned to the gate at 0613 (to debark the passengers; there's a slight discrepancy with the reported accident time, probably due to somebody having a mis-set clock). The subsequent Flight 2116 departed at 0953 and arrived at 1231.

Local TV Station WWBT NBC12 in Richmond showed the nose of the refueler under the tailcone of the jet. The two made contact at right angles. It appears that the truck was moving forward and the airplane was being pushed back by a tug, from the right to the left of the truck's path.

While the damage to the aircraft does not appear severe, only an inspection by trained maintenance technicians will be able to tell for certain. Aero-News reported last year on a loss of cabin pressure incident caused by structural failure where ground service equipment had left a barely-noticeable crease in an Alaska Airlines airliner's skin.

Pressure cycles worked on that stress riser until the skin failed inflight. Inevitably, in the USA, the incident led to a lawsuit. 

As soon as Tuesday's accident happened, airport and Virginia State Police started an investigation, which was then taken over by the Federal Aviation Administration, assisted by the other agencies, Continental Express, and Million Air.

"The truck went back into service immediately," McDonough tells us, "and the plane ferried to Knoxville for repair around noon."

He also wanted to express his, and the company's, gratitude to the airline and the public for bearing with them. "The airline was considerably understanding of the issue," according to McDonough.

His closing words: "Sorry to all!"

Million Air Richmond is a franchise of the national FBO chain. As well as full services for general aviation, it provides fueling under contract to several airlines at KRIC, including Continental, Delta and Northwest.

Continental Express is the name under which ExpressJet Airlines does business as a Continental feeder. It operates Embraer Regional Jets exclusively.

FMI: www.millionair-richmond.com