What happened
On October 4, 2017, at approximately 14:00 local time, a Cessna 182T was taxiing at Gliwice Airport (EPGL) with the intention of moving the aircraft to a different hangar. During the taxi maneuver, the aircraft's nose wheel encountered soft ground. The resistance from the soft surface caused the nose strut to compress significantly.
As a result of the compression of the nose gear and the soft ground, the propeller sustained damage. The tip of one propeller blade made contact with the ground or an object dislodged from the ground by the impact. A second blade showed signs of a possible strike from a small, hard object kicked up by the movement. The third blade remained undamaged.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the site of the incident, specifically looking at the area where the nose wheel had been impeded by the ground. The investigation noted that there were no distinct tracks left on the ground following the event. The investigators also reviewed the condition of the propeller blades and the state of the airfield surface.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was heavy rainfall occurring the day before the event, which had resulted in the softening of the grassy airfield surface.
- The compression of the nose strut due to the soft terrain led to the propeller blades making contact with the ground or debris.