Aircraft Damaged After Taxiing into Ditch on Wet Grass

Incident Summary

A pilot reported that while taxiing an airplane on the grass adjacent to the runway, the aircraft entered a ditch. The mishap resulted in damage to the tail and propeller.

Damage Assessment

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane, the empennage sustained substantial damage. The inspector also noted the condition of the grass during the incident.

Circumstances

The airplane was being taxied on the grass parallel to a closed runway. The runway was identified as closed runway 27. The grass surface was wet at the time. The inspector reported that the airplane was positioned too close to the ditch, which led to it sliding into the ditch.