What happened
On June 10, 2016, at approximately 11:40 LMT, an incident occurred at Rzeszów Airport (EPRZ). During a routine inspection of the maneuvering area on Runway 27, specifically east of the intersection with Taxiway A, a falconer discovered a protective cover for the stall sensor of a Tecnam P2008-JC lying on the ground. This component is required to be removed prior to flight operations.
Following the discovery, airport authorities conducted a thorough sweep of the maneuvering area to ensure no other foreign objects were present, but no further debris was located.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the presence of the sensor cover on the runway. The inquiry established that the cover had been left on the aircraft and subsequently fell off or was discarded during or before the flight operations involving the Tecnam P2008-JC.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a pilot error resulting from an incomplete or careless pre-flight inspection, which failed to ensure all protective covers were removed.
- The presence of the cover on the runway created a potential foreign object debris (FOD) hazard.