Incident Overview
On June 24, 2017, at approximately 20:40 local time, a Cessna 152 (designated as aircraft 1) landed and taxied along a taxiway to a fuel dispenser. Refueling operations were conducted on the taxiway. Another Cessna 152 (aircraft 2) was already positioned ahead, waiting to be refueled. Aircraft 1, piloted by a flight instructor seated in the right seat, stopped at a safe distance behind aircraft 2, which was being refueled by a mechanic assisted by a group of students.
Sequence of Events
The crew of aircraft 1 was informed that after refueling, aircraft 2 would vacate the area. Upon completion of refueling, aircraft 2 was pushed onto the grass to the left, at a 90-degree angle to the taxi direction. Following this maneuver, the instructor in aircraft 1 received a signal from the mechanic to continue taxiing. As aircraft 1 began to pass, the students and the mechanic started pushing aircraft 2 forward. During this push, the left wingtip of aircraft 1 collided with the leading edge of the left wing of aircraft 2, resulting in damage to both aircraft as depicted in figures 1 and 2.
Contributing Factors
The mechanic issued the command to push the aircraft too early. Additionally, the taxiing crew did not adhere to the principle of limited trust.
Post-Event Actions
The operator discussed the event with all flying and ground personnel, emphasizing taxi speed on taxiways and aircraft parking areas. The positioning of the fuel tanker and refueling procedures were also modified.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the incident was the failure to follow safety procedures.