What happened
On July 29, 2015, at approximately 17:20 LMT, a Cessna F182Q Skylane was taxiing at the Pobiednik Airport (EPKP) near Krakow. The pilot, operating under a PPL(A) license, was taxiing from the hangar area toward the runway threshold with the intention of departing for Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia.
During the taxi maneuver, the pilot experienced a sudden jolt and a dull impact, feeling the aircraft drop into an uneven area of the terrain. Recognizing the impact, the pilot decided to abort the planned flight and taxied the aircraft back to the hangar for a thorough inspection. Upon shutting down the engine, the pilot discovered that the nose landing gear strut had been deformed. Further inspection behind the engine cowling revealed a fracture in the upper mounting node of the strut and missing components from the firewall attachment point.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on determining the cause of the structural failure of the nose gear. The investigation included a review of the taxi route taken by the pilot and an examination of the terrain surrounding the established taxiway. The inquiry established that the aircraft had unintentionally veered off the designated taxiway path.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was insufficient observation of the taxiway by the pilot.
- This lack of situational awareness led to the nose wheel entering a depression in the terrain located outside the boundaries of the paved taxiway.
- The impact with the uneven ground resulted in the deformation and fracture of the nose landing gear assembly.
- There were no injuries to the pilot.