An American Airlines cleaning truck #FR062 driven by a cleaning lead entered the hard stand across from the Base maintenance hangar at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) with the intent of locating a specific aircraft (A321, N507AY) to conduct a scheduled clean.
As was the station norm during night operations the driver angled towards the nose gear as they approached each aircraft to use the headlights to illuminate the aircraft number.
After identifying N288AY, they accelerated towards the next aircraft but failed to clear the aircraft.
Significant structural damage to the aircraft occurred when the right-hand rail on the stationary platform cut through the aircraft fuselage aft of the radome and the box of the truck struck the radome.
No employees were injured and the aircraft is now back in regular service.
I’m no expert (??) but that looks alot like a A330-200, it even says that on the nose.
Its only an airbus, throw away aircraft.
They were looking for an A321. They hit an A330.
They were looking for an A321. They hit an A330.
I remember this, as I was working in the Catering building next door at the time. The aircraft was parked on the hard stand outside the Heavy Maintenance hangar. What an appropriate place for aircraft damage. At least maintenance didn’t have to tow the aircraft from the gate.
Some millions of dollars damage there!
Oh, no! That’s terrible! I hope the shareholders are OK!
I am going out on a limb and say that nobody and I mean nobody saw a thing, that a/c just appeared out of no where, it’s a complete mystery