Incident Summary
On April 16, 2016, at approximately 14:45 local time, a student pilot occupying a Cessna 150 (registration SP-KIR) at Katowice-Muchowiec Airport (EPKM) received taxi instructions from the supervising instructor. The instruction was to taxi straight to the concrete apron designated DS23. The student pilot was preparing for a solo navigation flight along a specified route.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot began taxiing but, contrary to the received instruction, turned left immediately after starting. During this turn, the left wingtip of SP-KIR contacted the rudder of another Cessna 150 (registration SP-GCC), which was parked near the fuel station. The student pilot stopped the aircraft promptly upon contact.
Aircraft and Damage
A mechanic at the scene assessed the damage. The rudder of SP-GCC sustained a slight dent in its covering, while the left wingtip of SP-KIR showed a paint scratch. The damage was minor and did not affect the airworthiness of either aircraft. No injuries occurred; only the student pilot was aboard SP-KIR, and the supervising instructor was elsewhere on the airfield.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The investigation identified the cause of the incident as improper allocation of attention by the student pilot at the moment taxi began. A contributing factor was the student pilot's failure to comply with the received taxi instruction. The instructor discussed the event with the student and reported it to the Aeroklub Śląski's Safety Management System.