The fuselage of Boeing 787-9 of Vietnam Airlines was pierced by a ladder car

The fuselage of Boeing 787-9 of Vietnam Airlines was pierced by a ladder car. The flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Osaka (Japan) was forced to cancel.

According to a report of Vietnamnet, the incident occurred at 23pm on 21/8 when the aircraft Boeing 787-9 (registration number VN-A865) was parked at yard 12, Tan Son Nhat airport.

When this plane was preparing for a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Osaka (Japan), it was hit by a ladder car driven by Mr. L.Đ.B – an employee of Vietnam Ground Services Co., Ltd. (VIAGS) into its body. The crash in the lower body (door L4) makes the Boeing 787-9 a hole with a size of about 20 x 20cm.

After the incident, the Southern Airport Authority and related units made a record and seal the ladder car, requesting the driver and related individuals to report.

The examination detected Mr. L.Đ.B. had no alcohol content. According to the driver of L.Đ.B., he drove the ladder car from the 11th yard to the 12th stop to serve Vietnam Airlines flight VN320, which was about to fly to Japan. When driving the ladder to the right position, one of his colleague signaled to drive into the door L4 of the aircraft. After getting into the right position, he stopped the car and proceeded to lift the ladder to approach the aircraft. However, during the process of lifting the ladder, when Mr. B. turned back to look at the ladder, the car jumped forward and crashed into the plane.

The incident forced Vietnam Airlines to stop operating a Boeing 787-9 for technical inspection and repair. All 265 passengers on the VN 320 flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Osaka were transferred via another Boeing 787 to Osaka in the next morning.

According to initial judgment from the management agency of Tan Son Nhat airport, the incident caused an incident at level D (an incident of safety threaten). Vietnam Aviation Administration is clarifying the case. The Boeing aircraft manufacturer sent people to repair.

This aircraft was sold to Vietnam Airlines in 2015.