What happened
On July 26, 1985, at approximately 21:15 GMT, a Beech E-90, registration CS-TFA, operated by TAP Air Portugal, was involved in a ground incident at Faro Airport. While taxiing for runway 29, the aircraft struck the runway edge lights.
The incident occurred at night under good meteorological conditions. During the taxi maneuver, the pilot misidentified the runway edge lights as the centerline lights, leading to the collision. The impact caused damage to the tips of the propeller blades on the left engine, necessitating the cancellation of flight TP961 and requiring repairs to both the aircraft and the airfield lighting infrastructure. There were no injuries to the crew.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance records, the airfield lighting system, and the pilot's operational circumstances. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was properly certified, equipped, and maintained according to manufacturer and regulatory standards. The airfield lighting system at Faro Airport, including the threshold, centerline, and edge lights, was found to be in acceptable operational condition and adjustable in intensity.
Investigators noted that the pilot had been using the aircraft's landing lights to compensate for poor visibility from the taxi lights. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the pilot's recent schedule, noting an unexpected four-hour stay at the airport and a demanding daily schedule involving a seven-hour pilot training course.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was reduced pilot attention resulting from fatigue and inadequate flight preparation.
- The pilot misidentified the runway edge lights as the centerline lights during the taxi phase.
- Contributing factors included the pilot's use of landing lights to improve visibility due to insufficient taxi light brightness.
- Potential fatigue factors included an unexpected four-hour delay at the airport and the physiological effects of a demanding training schedule.