An airline passenger suffered a serious leg injury after the mobile stairs used to disembark the Ryanair plane she was travelling on partially collapsed, a report has found.
The Department of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) today published a preliminary report into the incident last month. which occurred after the Boeing 737 had landed in Dublin after a flight from Krakow.
The mobile stairs unit partially collapsed after the first three passengers disembarked from the rear door of the plane, trapping and causing serious injury to one of the passenger’s legs.
Investigators found the locking mechanism was creating a “false” lock condition which was sufficient to allow one person to stand on the sliding stair without adverse consequence.
However, when three people stood on the stair, the “false” lock gave way.
Ryanair, which has responsibility for the safety of passengers disembarking the plane via the mobile stairs unit, accepted the safety recommendation of air accident investigators, that airline personnel "confirm and crosscheck the correct engagement" of the locking mechanism.
Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said: "We have already complied with the recommendations in the AAIU's preliminary report to ensure that this extremely rare incident will never recur. Ryanair is continuing to provide help and assistance to this passenger and her family."