A330 shears tail off Gulfstream IV in Ventiane!

[Captain Monday]

A Thai Airways A330-300 has nearly ripped the tail off a Gulfstream IV private jet during a taxiing accident in Vientiane, Laos.The accident occurred in darkness on 9 March as the A330 (HS-TEU) prepared to operate flight TG575 on the Vientiane-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi route, according to Thai Airways.“When the pilot took the plane out to the taxiway, its wing collided with the tail of a small personal plane.” Images on social media show that the outboard leading edge of the A330’s left wing suffered damage.As for the private jet, M-YWAY, the entire tail plane was nearly torn off, coming to rest on the right-side horizontal stabilizer. The front landing gear also appears to have been severely twisted in its mounting. The Thai aircraft was carrying 79 passengers and 13 crew, all of whom are safe, says the airline. Cirium fleets data indicates that HS-TEU is managed by Thai and was delivered in March 2010, though it only entered service in June 2011.

 

The private jet, M-YWAY, is managed and operated by Blue Sky Leasing of the Cayman Islands. It entered service in 2002 for Philip Morris, and was obtained by Blue Sky in 2010.

 

 

Source: Twitter

The Gulfstream IV saw its entire tail shorn off.

 

 

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/thai-a330-shears-tail-off-gulfstream-iv-in-vientiane/137157.article

[PatOngo]

Thai Airways, can they do anything right?

[RJRS1301]

Just to add to the financial woes of Thai, they will now facing the insurance costs, and possible claims for other damage for financial loss for the Gulfsteam owners.

 

Thank goodness to lives lost

 

[Captain Monday]

14 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Just to add to the financial woes of Thai, they will now facing the insurance costs, and possible claims for other damage for financial loss for the Gulfsteam owners.

 

Thank goodness to lives lost

 

The article did not say if the Gulfstream was parked or also taxiing.

A parked aircraft on a handstand should be clear of any size aircraft expected to use the 

adjacent Taxi way. A Tower or Ground controller if he is doing the job properly will not clear 

a large aircraft to use a taxiway it is that is not usable for its wingspan, and the pilot would assume 

it to be clear.  Every accident is the result of a chain of errors, there is never one cause alone. Unfortunately

once a plane is waved off by the marshaller all movement on the ground under its own power is the sole responsibility of the pilot in command. There is probably no way to repair it in situ and the whole aircraft may have to be trucked to a heavy overhaul facility where it could possibly be rebuilt to manufacturer standards. The owners' have a strong claim of full responsibility from TG if it was hit while parked. I would assume the Gulfstreamis a write-off.

 

[RJRS1301]

31 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Just to add to the financial woes of Thai, they will now facing the insurance costs, and possible claims for other damage for financial loss for the Gulfsteam owners.

 

Thank goodness to lives lost

 

Typo, 

Thank goodness no lives lost

[samsensam]

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Thai Airways, can they do anything right?

 

how do you know this accident was not the result of an error made by the gulfstream pilot or air traffic control? accidents like are often the result of a chain of events/decisions. why are some people here so quick to be judgmentally negative about thailand?

[thedemon]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

The article did not say if the Gulfstream was parked or also taxiing.

A parked aircraft on a handstand should be clear of any size aircraft expected to use the 

adjacent Taxi way. A Tower or Ground controller if he is doing the job properly will not clear 

a large aircraft to use a taxiway it is that is not usable for its wingspan, and the pilot would assume 

it to be clear.  Every accident is the result of a chain of errors, there is never one cause alone. Unfortunately

once a plane is waved off by the marshaller all movement on the ground under its own power is the sole responsibility of the pilot in command. There is probably no way to repair it in situ and the whole aircraft may have to be trucked to a heavy overhaul facility where it could possibly be rebuilt to manufacturer standards. The owners' have a strong claim of full responsibility from TG if it was hit while parked. I would assume the Gulfstreamis a write-off.

 

 

I was told by another TG pilot that the Gulfstream had parked while the A330 was in transit so it wasn't there when taxiing after landing. Apparently the parking aprons had recently been rearranged and the taxiway centreline markings repainted in a different position. However the old centreline markings, which should have been removed were still visible. Also the apron lights were out of order.

 

When taxiing for takeoff (it was dark by then) the pilot inadvertently followed the old markings hence the subsequent collision. So unfortunately for TG, despite some mitigation due to poor apron management, it is still pilot error on their part as it is ultimately the Captain's responsibility to make sure they are clear of other aircraft.

 

I think you are right about the Gulfstream. At 18 years old it will be a write-off. I would guess that the A330 will be patched up at VTE and flown back to Bangkok for full repair.

[Captain Monday]

4 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

how do you know this accident was not the result of an error made by the gulfstream pilot or air traffic control? accidents like are often the result of a chain of events/decisions. why are some people here so quick to be judgmentally negative about thailand?

Because we are assuming TG crashed into an aircraft parked on stand. Ground damage happens to airlines all around the world I cannot tell you about the major Airline I work for and 2 serious  incidents over the past few months caused by ground damage, one plane almost brand new!

[Jai Dee]

This story is continued in the Thailand News Forum here.

 

/Closed.