WestJet passenger aircraft collided with a military aircraft while taxiing at Comox Valley Airport, but no one was injured.
The cause of the incident is still being investigated by WestJet, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Transportation Safety Board.
The airline may face operational disruptions due to the damaged aircraft, and passengers may have missed their onward connections. The RCAF is also working to minimize impacts on search and rescue operations.I can confirm that WestJet flight WS346 traveling yesterday from Comox to Edmonton, experienced a minor incident resulting from aircraft making contact with a parked 19 Wing aircraft on the ramp while taxiing out for departure.
All guests and crew were safely offloaded from the aircraft, and there have been no reported injuries as a result of this incident. Additionally, all guests have been re-accommodated.On Wednesday, August 9th, in the afternoon, a WestJet passenger aircraft at Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) came in contact with a CC-130H Hercules military aircraft while taxiing on the ground. The aircraft was on its way to Edmonton and was on its way to the runway when the incident occurred.
The incident
The two aircraft involved in the incident are a Boeing 737-700 passenger aircraft (C-FWSI), which was operated by the Canadian carrier WestJet, and the other aircraft involved was a CC-130H Hercules aircraft belonging to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Immediately after the collision, the 737 halted taxiing, and shortly thereafter, the crew and passengers were offloaded from the aircraft. Reports suggest that the starboard side wing of the 737 collided with the empennage of the Hercules and broke off.Cause of incident
Statements taken from the passengers suggest that shortly after the collision, the pilot apologized to the passengers on the aircraft PA system and informed them that the pilots were informed there was space to taxi around the Hercules, which unfortunately turned out to be false. However, the pilot did not specify whether this information was provided by the control tower or ground personnel.The definite cause of this incident is yet to be determined. The investigation will be carried out by WestJet, Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Transportation Safety Board.
Operational impacts
As is normally the case in aviation, even the slightest hitch can have a knock-on effect on an airline’s operational efficiency. Thus, a damaged aircraft would result in the airline having to perform unscheduled maintenance activity. Additionally, if WestJet does not have maintenance capability at YQQ, it can further complicate the matter of getting the aircraft airworthy again.