Ground proximity event between Dornier DO228, VH-VJN and a vehicle, Brisbane Airport, Queensland, on 8 October 2013

On the evening of 8 October 2013 a Dornier DO228 aircraft, registered VH-VJN (VJN) was taxiing to the company hangar at Brisbane Airport, Queensland after the completion of a charter flight.

As the flight crew turned right onto the Hotel 2 South taxiway, two vehicles were travelling along the designated movement area along Hotel 2 South from the opposite direction.

This incident did not involve an on-site investigation by the ATSB and the investigation includes differing recounts of the event from the flight crew and the driver of the second vehicle.

Aircraft movements at Brisbane Airport have increased from 123,000 in 2004 to 222,000 in 2013. At the time of the incident there were about 1,700 vehicles approved to access the taxiway hotel system.

The ATSB published a research paper on ground operation occurrences at Australian Airports over a 10 year period. Of the 282 ground occurrences reported to the ATSB between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2008, about 37 per cent of those incidents occurring as the aircraft approached a gate, were attributed to near collisions with vehicles. This report is available at: www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2009/ar2009042.aspx.

Aviation Short Investigation Bulletin Issue - 27