A plane slipped backwards at Hohhot airport. Expert: Serious human error.

CCTV News:On the afternoon of 12th, a thrilling scene happened at Baita International Airport in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. From the video posted by netizens, it can be seen that the crew mistakenly regarded the parked aircraft as an aircraft about to be released, and withdrew from the aircraft wheel block, causing an aircraft of Changlong Airlines to slide backwards on the apron. After seeing it, a crew member picked up the wheel block and flew to the front wheel of the aircraft, and placed the wheel block behind the front wheel to prevent the aircraft from continuing to slide backwards. This incident did not affect aircraft, passengers and airport operations.

A plane slipped backwards at Baiyun Airport in Hohhot.

A plane slipped backwards at Baiyun Airport in Hohhot.

It is understood that the flight GJ8674 carried out by the aircraft numbered B-8560 at that time was due to flow control, and the crew planned to disembark and return to the hotel. The maintenance saw that the aircraft door was closed and the escalator had been withdrawn, thinking that the flight could be launched, so the wheel block was removed. Then, after the power failure, the aircraft without brakes slipped backwards.

At present, Baita Airport said that the plane sliding backwards was under investigation and it was not convenient for the media to interview.

An aviation industry insider said that after the aircraft slides into the covered bridge or parking space, in order to prevent the aircraft from sliding accidentally due to the failure of the aircraft brakes or other reasons, it is necessary to set a wheel block for the aircraft, which is similar in shape to a car wheel block. When the plane needs to be pushed out or slid out, the engine can be dragged and started to taxi only after the wheel block is removed. Since the crew members have all been evacuated in this incident, it can be regarded as a serious human error of the crew members, and there is no good communication.

Why did the plane slide backwards?

 When the plane skidded backwards, the crew rushed to the front wheel to place the wheel chocks urgently.

In fact, the plane slipped backwards because of the slope of the tarmac itself, and the plane slipped backwards without wheel block and parking brake. Generally speaking, the reason why the plane slips backwards is that there is a problem in communication between the maintenance and the crew. The maintenance thinks that the crew is going to slip out, or that the crew has set the parking brake of the plane, thus removing the wheel block. If the apron has a slope just at the plane’s parking position, it will lead to the plane slipping backwards.

Experts said that at present, the communication between the crew and the locomotive is not by radio, but by using traditional wired headphones inserted on the plane. Once the locomotive and crew headphones are not connected, they can only rely on gestures. When the crew leaves the plane, it is customary to release the parking brake of the plane to prevent the pressure of the parking brake system from being unnecessarily consumed, and then the crew will think that the wheel block is still there.

"It’s the first time I’ve seen it backwards, and there have been too many moves forward, both at home and abroad." He said that the reasons for the aircraft moving forward and sliding backward are similar. Generally speaking, inertia, the center of gravity of the aircraft (the first three points) and the slope of the apron will all lead to these events.

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