A China Airlines Airbus A350 rolled backwards into an aerobridge at Melbourne International Airport (MEL) on April 14, damaging a door on the aircraft. An investigation into the incident has been launched by authorities.
The damage to the aircraft
The Airbus A350 had recently arrived in MEL after an overnight flight from Taiwan and was scheduled to fly to Taipei. But as the China Airlines aircraft faced ground handling, it rolled backwards and ripped the front left door from its hinges, following in large damage.
The passengers and crew onboard the Taiwan flight had already left the aircraft, leading to no injuries in this incident. The aircraft’s collision led to the cancellation of the Taipei flight later that day.
Responses to the incident
Engineers have since been analysing the plane’s damage, looking at what services it needs before being cleared for operating. With no confirmation on the cause of the incident, the chocks, wedges that are placed under vehicles to prevent them moving, placed under the A350 jet are suspected to have been wrongly positioned, enabling it to move backwards.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), responsible for civil aviation safety investigations, acknowledged the incident. They have commented, calling the incident a “significant ground incident” and have confirmed their investigation into the matter.
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