Investigators Blame Faulty Pin for Passenger Injury in Tumble from Aircraft Steps

An official report attributes an accident in which a passenger broke her wrist falling from the top of a plane’s steps to the handrail collapsing due to a malfunctioning quick-release pin.

According to an Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) report released on Wednesday, a very small aircraft part caused big trouble in a September 30 incident at Dublin Airport (DUB). The accident left a passenger with a broken wrist. While the report lauded the crew’s response to the accident, investigators determined that faulty equipment was to blame for the collapse of a handrail as passengers descended the stairs lowered from the 72-seat, ATR 72 turboprop aircraft.

Only one passenger sustained injuries in the accident following the flight which had just arrived from Manchester Airport (MAN). “She fell from the first or second step [from the top of the stairs]” according to an eyewitness cited in the report. The injured flyer was carrying a single carry-on bag at the time she fell. The woman was quickly assisted by a ramp worker and a member of the cabin crew until first responders arrived.

Investigator-in-Charge Howard Hughes determined after a more than six-month long investigation that the failure of a single quick-release pin caused the handrail to collapse. According to the findings, the “push-pull” style pin is designed to lock the handrail in place while the aircraft stairs are in use. In this case, however, the report notes, “The quick-release pin, which normally secured the collapsible handrail in the upright position, was found to be jammed in an unlocked condition.”

When the small pin failed, the handrail folded into the stowed position necessary to allow the door to be closed. The passenger relying on the handrail for support immediately tumbled from the aircraft to the tarmac injuring herself.

In response to the accident, Stobart Air, which operates flights for Aer Lingus, changed operational procedures to require crew members to ensure that the quick-release pin is in working order prior to lowering the stairs. The airline also reports that regular inspection of the handrails and pins has been added to maintenance protocols.

[Photo: Wikipedia]