What happened
An incident occurred on the airport ramp where a forklift, transporting an aircraft "igloo" container, struck the right wing of an aircraft. The affected aircraft was in the early stages of its taxi operation when the collision took place.
The pilot, seated in the cockpit, observed the forklift moving in reverse from his right side just prior to the impact. In response to the imminent danger, the pilot immediately stopped the aircraft and pulled the mixture control to idle cutoff to shut down the engine.
The investigation
Environmental conditions at the time of the incident were hazardous. The airport ramp surface was covered with ice and snow, which likely contributed to reduced visibility or traction issues for ground vehicles operating in the area.