Groundhandler error saw Jetstar A320 sustain engine damage

Confusion between groundhandling staff resulted in a Jetstar Airbus A320 sustaining minor engine damage after ingesting a clipboard that had been left in one of its cowlings. The incident occurred during the evening of 27 October 2017 and involved A320 VH-VGY, which was operating a service from Auckland to Sydney. After loading the last cargo container in the aircraft’s cargo hold, a leading hand placed a clipboard containing paperwork into the right-hand engine cowling to protect it from rain, with the intention of retrieving it later. He then went to the flight deck to pass on other paperwork to the crew, before returning to co-ordinate the aircraft’s pushback. Story has more details about the incident. In its final report on the incident, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found that the dispatcher did not follow company policy of notifying a supervisor or the leading hand about the clipboard. Jetstar and its groundhandler Aerocare subsequently issued safety notices outlining that foreign object debris also includes items that may be accidentally left behind. Jetstar also updated its dispatch procedures to include more detail on checks and responsibilities, as well as how to communicate with flight crew in non-normal situations.<br/>