It wasn’t Bruce’s fault. That was the question on the minds of many after news surfaced that “Ed Force One,” a Boeing 747 piloted by Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, was badly damaged after colliding with a tow truck on the ground at the airport in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday, March 12, 2016.
Two ground tug workers were hospitalized with injuries after the incident but were expected to fully recover. The band wasn’t on board at the time. With its plane grounded, Iron Maiden was forced to find another way to move equipment on the concert tour. The Iron Maiden’s 747 was apparently connected to a tug at the Santiago International Airport and was being moved to be refueled and prepped for its next flight when the steering pin fell out.
“On making a turn the aircraft had no steering and collided with the ground tug, badly damaging the undercarriage, two of the aircraft’s engines and injuring two ground tug operators,” the band posted on its website.
As for the airplane, it required extensive repairs and possibly two new engines, but the show went on as scheduled.
After the incident, Iron Maiden was on its way to Argentina, where it had a concert scheduled for Sunday, March 13, as part of a South American tour.
“We expect no disruption to the tour in any way and are looking for a replacement 747 Ed Force One while our current beauty is healed,” the band said.
