What happened
On April 4, 2016, a professional pilot operating an M-18B Dromader was preparing for a scheduled aerial firefighting mission at Katowice-Muchowiec Airport (EPKM). After loading 1,500 liters of water into the aircraft, the pilot began taxiing from the airport facilities toward the takeoff position on concrete runway 05/23.
Because there were no designated taxiways established at the airfield, the pilot proceeded in a straight line toward the runway threshold. Approximately 150 meters before reaching the start of runway 05, the aircraft entered an unmarked area of marshy ground. The wheels of the aircraft sank approximately 30 cm into the soft surface, causing the aircraft to decelerate abruptly. The sudden deceleration caused the aircraft to pitch forward, resulting in the propeller blades making contact with the ground. The aircraft eventually came to a stop after the tail settled onto the surface. The incident resulted in damage to four propeller blades.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the taxiing path and the surface conditions of the airfield. The investigators examined the lack of infrastructure at the airport, specifically noting the absence of marked taxiways and the lack of signage regarding the load-bearing capacity of the grass areas. The investigation also assessed the pilot's awareness of the airfield's surface conditions at the time of the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the taxiing of the aircraft onto marshy, unpaved ground.
- There were no marked taxiways leading to the concrete runway 05/23.
- The airfield lacked signage indicating areas with permanently restricted surface load-bearing capacities.
- The pilot proceeded to the runway threshold without up-to-date or detailed knowledge regarding the current condition of the grass surfaces at the airport.