Cargolux B747-400 wheels hit van parked on runway in fog . .


LX-OCV B747-400

Jan 21/10
Workers fixing landing lights at Luxembourg-Findel Airport (LUX/ELLX) parked their work van on the active runway.

Weather at the time;

ELLX 211150Z 12003KT 0100 R24/0350N FG OVC001 01/01 Q1020 NOSIG

However Flight CV7933 a Cargolux B747-400, wheels came in contact with the van, which was unoccupied. Obviously there is a ongoing investigation.


Cargolux photo

Wow! That could have been ALOT worse!

I knew Piper cubs landed on the top of vans, but not 747’s! :laughing: :laughing:

Your van scratched my landing gear!

Meh…that’ll buff right out. :confused:

It is a good thing that plane didn’t sit down on the van. I’d like to see what 800,000lbs would do to it. :open_mouth:

I bet there are scratches and dents under one of the engines. I would think if the gear did that, the van would be flat.

Govt. Press release In French, google translation below;

Home> Newsroom> Releases> January 2010> Accident on the runway at Luxembourg airport January 21, 2010

Press
Accident on the runway at Luxembourg airport January 21, 2010
22-01-2010
Level up
Today at 12 h 53 has an accident on the runway at Luxembourg airport in low visibility conditions.

In the approach, the landing gear of an aircraft of the Cargolux has hit the roof of a van that was on the runway for repairs to the lighting. No one was injured, but damage has been observed in the vehicle. In addition, a tire of the plane is damaged and must be replaced.

Currently, three separate investigations are underway:

The Administration of technical investigations analyzes the events of the accident to determine causes and make the appropriate and necessary recommendations on measures to help avoid future reproduction of a similar accident.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation is conducting an investigation which includes an analysis of compliance with applicable procedures.

The Administration of Air Navigation in turn leads an internal administrative investigation.

Wow, I take back what I said. :open_mouth: So many things went “just right” for that to not result in catastrophe. I wonder if the flight crew even saw it, and if so, they must have been spewing expletives in Luxembourgese!

Wonder if ATC even mentioned a van on the runway to the crew.

“…and maintain visual separation with the …uh… van”

WTF was that van doing ON the runway in the first place. STAY ON THE TAXIWAY!

Maybe people from TSA were driving the van? :laughing: