Just to try and help clarify some things based on 'probable' information, if the accident occurred with the B737 holding at Tango and the port wing of the B767 hitting the tail of the B737 I have mustered up a bit of a diagram. Hopefully this will quell the alarmist and pathetic comments and suggestions coming from a few posters on here who obviously have little or no idea of the layout of Manchester airport. The diagram shows (approximately to scale) the B767 turning from taxiway Delta onto taxiway Victor towards holding point Victor 5 (V5) with the B737 stationary on taxiway Tango at or some way before holding point Tango 1 (since verified that it was at holding point Sierra 2 which explains the lack of wingtip/tail clearance)
As for the press reporting that passengers told them that they were on their take off run
well, let's just say that their creative staff writers should go into script writing for Hollywood thrillers. This accident was the equivalent of a 'rear end shunt' that happens every day at traffic junctions. Obviously the consequences are more dramatic considering the number of people on board, the fuel and the cost of repairs but it certainly wasn't anything along the lines of other runway collisions such as at Linate and Paris. This was a taxying accident and neither aircraft was "on the runway" at the time.
Just goes to show you that the quoted passenger lied for their 15 minutes of fame. Either that or the journalist is a consumate liar. Which do you trust? Still, brings the newspaper down for the lowest common denominator. Says is all really!
