An American Airlines cleaning truck #FR062 driven by a cleaning lead entered the hard stand across from the Base maintenance hangar at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) with the intent of locating a specific aircraft (A321, N507AY) to conduct a scheduled clean.
![](https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Service-Truck-hits-an-Airplane-1.jpg)
As was the station norm during night operations the driver angled towards the nose gear as they approached each aircraft to use the headlights to illuminate the aircraft number.
![](https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Service-Truck-hits-an-Airplane-2.jpg)
After identifying N288AY, they accelerated towards the next aircraft but failed to clear the aircraft.
![](https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Service-Truck-hits-an-Airplane-3.jpg)
Significant structural damage to the aircraft occurred when the right-hand rail on the stationary platform cut through the aircraft fuselage aft of the radome and the box of the truck struck the radome.
![](https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Service-Truck-hits-an-Airplane-4.jpg)
No employees were injured and the aircraft is now back in regular service.
![](https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Service-Truck-hits-an-Airplane-5.jpg)