ATR Power Back Collision

[pelmet]

C-GREJ, an ATR 72-212A operated by Calm Air International LP, was conducting flight CAV788
from Big Trout Lake (CYTL), ON to Red Lake (CYRL), ON. While the aircraft was on the ramp at
CYRL after the flight, the crew elected to back up the aircraft under its own power. While backing
up, C-GREJ tail struck a privately registered Piper PA-23-160 aircraft that was parked on the ramp.
Both aircraft sustained minor damage.
C-GREJ was grounded in CYRL until the applicable repairs were completed by the operator's
maintenance and has since been returned to service.

[JasonE]

"Don't worry about the little airplane, we'll just blow it out of the way."

[groncher]

Back-up camera must have been on MEL.

[The Hammer]

The worst part is there was a marshaller present and they helped back them into the Piper.
The rampie is a pilot wanna be that now is looking for a new job.

[Meatservo]

The rampie is a pilot wanna be that now is looking for a new job.

Obviously I don't know the whole story about the rampie, but I am not sure I'd be so quick to fire the only guy at the company who is practically guaranteed to never fuckup in exactly this way again. Of course it would all depend on his attitude. There have been times in recent memory, when qualified pilots are plentiful, that the people in the cockpit would have been taking a walk as well. Were there wing-walkers? (probably not) Did the rampie intend to back the plane up, or was he caught by surprise by the aircrew's decision to do so? These "wanna be pilots" are often woefully under-trained for any ground-support role.

I am not a "firing" kind of guy though. There's firing someone to get rid of a problem, and there's firing for revenge. I hope this wasn't the latter.

I wouldn't normally presume to second-guess someone else's management because I wasn't there, but hey this is a gossip forum so I can say whatever I feel like.