What happened
On July 13, 2013, at 18:20 UTC, a local training flight was concluding at Mogadouro Airfield (LPMU) in Bragança, Portugal. A GROB G103A TWIN II ACRO, registration CS-orbh, was in the final roll-out phase of landing. During this phase, the right wingtip of the aircraft struck a person standing near the edge of the runway, resulting in serious injuries to the individual.
Following the impact, the aircraft veered to the right and came to a stop on the terrain adjacent to the runway. The injured person, a visitor to the airfield, was treated by emergency medical services.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the presence of the visitor in the airfield movement area and the flight path of the aircraft. The investigation established that the visitor was engaged in photographing the aircraft's approach and landing using a handheld camera. The investigation also reviewed airfield safety protocols, including the adequacy of visitor briefings and the presence of ground personnel during operations.
Findings
- The visitor was present in the airfield movement zone without being accompanied by an authorized person or a local pilot.
- The visitor's activity of photographing the aircraft with a handheld camera likely caused a misperception of the distance between her and the aircraft's trajectory.
- A lack of a formal safety briefing regarding airfield operations and ground rules for approaching the maneuvering area contributed to the visitor's presence in a high-risk area.
- The frequent presence of people near the runway during landings led to the visitor being perceived as an experienced individual capable of assessing inherent risks.
- A predominant wind from the west quadrant contributed to the aircraft deviating toward the right side of the runway 03 strip.