As the aircraft front passenger door was being closed by the Senior Cabin Crew Member (SCCM), the steps were pushed away from the aircraft. The SCCM was unable to stop herself from falling into the gap created between the steps and the aircraft. She fell onto the ramp and was seriously injured.
The step removal occurred despite the aircraft door being open and a dispatcher still at the top of the steps. There were multiple dispatchers and ramp staff working around the steps and it was not clear who had responsibility for checking that the aircraft door was closed and steps were clear. The presence of one of these dispatchers at the bottom of the steps, with another stepping off the bottom meant the ramp staff moving the steps assumed that the door closure was complete. The process of door closure and step removal had been the subject of a procedural workaround at East Midlands Airport and other UK airports where the ground handling company operated. This procedural workaround had been happening for many years and had not been identified in audits.
Both the ground handling company and the operator took safety action to address issues raised in the investigation.