What happened
On March 6, 2011, a Reims Cessna 172N, registration D-EOWY, was involved in an incident at Trevet Airfield (EITT) in County Meath. The pilot intended to perform a short solo flight in favorable weather conditions. Prior to departure, the aircraft had been moved from its hangar using a standard tow-bar attached to the nose wheel.
After completing a pre-flight inspection and standard checklists, the pilot departed from Runway 04. The flight proceeded normally with no issues reported during the initial climb or flight north of the airfield. However, during the landing roll on Runway 04, the pilot heard an unusual noise. While backtracking along the runway, the pilot discovered the red tow-bar lying in the middle of the runway, approximately 200 meters from the threshold. It was realized that the tow-bar had remained attached to the nose wheel throughout the flight and had detached during the landing phase.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had failed to remove the tow-bar after moving the aircraft from the hangar. Although the pilot performed a walk-around inspection and followed the standard checklist, the tow-bar remained connected to the nose gear. Upon inspecting the aircraft after retrieving the bar from the runway, the pilot identified bent propeller tips.
Findings
- The aircraft departed the airfield with the tow-bar still attached to the nose wheel.
- The tow-bar disconnected from the aircraft during the landing roll.
- The contact between the detached tow-bar and the propeller caused minor damage to the propeller tips.
- The pilot's routine pre-flight inspection failed to identify the presence of the tow-bar.
Safety action
Following the incident, the pilot updated his personalized checklist to include a specific verification step under "Vital Actions Before Engine Start" to ensure the tow-bar is removed and secured.