What Caused a Low-Speed Aircraft Collision?

THE CHALLENGE

When a Boeing B-747 aircraft collided with a parked truck while taxiing, both the B-747 and the ground vehicle were extensively damaged. Exponent was retained to determine and testify about what went wrong. We were asked to re-create the accident to determine how similar accidents could be avoided in the future.

EXPONENT'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY SOLUTION

Exponent used a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the incident, leveraging a team with expertise in human vision and perception, Federal Aviation Administration regulations and guidance material on airport design and construction, and accident reconstruction.

Exponent's Impact

Exponent determined that the truck had been parked in a no-object zone on the tarmac during a construction project and that the truck driver estimated the B-747 would pass over the truck. An inspection at night demonstrated the difficulty of seeing unlit objects at the scene, as well as how the computer simulations developed by opposing experts misrepresented the actual visibility in the environment. Our investigation determined that a lack of training of construction and airport personnel, lax regulatory compliance, and lapses in construction safety planning all contributed to the incident.