On April 16, 2014, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 was involved in an aviation accident near Gdańsk (EPGD), PL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pitot tube cover on the first officer's side was not removed. The cover lacked a "REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT" flag, so it went unnoticed during pre-flight preparation and inspection. This summary draws on records from the Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL).
On 16 April 2014, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 at EPGD airport rejected takeoff after the first officer's pitot tube cover was left in place, causing no speed indication. The cover lacked a REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT flag.
Event Summary
On 16 April 2014, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 aircraft experienced a rejected takeoff during its takeoff roll at EPGD airport. The takeoff was aborted due to a malfunction of an onboard device: the first officer's side indicated no airspeed. The aircraft subsequently returned to the parking stand.
Cause
The incident was caused by the pitot tube cover on the first officer's side not being removed before flight. The cover did not have a "REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT" flag, and consequently was not noticed during the pre-flight preparation by ground handling personnel or by the pilot performing the pre-flight inspection.
Safety Actions
No preventive measures were implemented, and the investigating commission did not issue any safety recommendations.
Probable cause
The pitot tube cover on the first officer's side was not removed. The cover lacked a "REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT" flag, so it went unnoticed during pre-flight preparation and inspection.