What happened
On October 25, 2017, at approximately 09:30 local time, the Duty Operations Officer at Łódź Airport (EPLL) discovered mechanical damage to the left wingtip of a parked Cessna 172, registration D-EEBD. The damage was identified during a routine inspection of the grass parking area. It was noted that the damage may have occurred during the passage of storm front Ksawery, which had recently moved through the area.
While the aircraft owner, Sky Life, did not immediately notify airport services of the incident, they subsequently provided photographic documentation of the damage to the airport authorities.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the operator, Sky Life, with the findings reviewed by the PKBWL. The investigation examined several potential scenarios to determine how the wingtip sustained damage. Investigators considered whether the damage resulted from contact with grass-cutting equipment, the wing being displaced from its tie-down point due to high winds, or intentional damage by third parties.
Upon review, the physical evidence of the damage did not align with the hypotheses involving mowing equipment or wind-induced displacement. The investigation concluded without identifying a specific external cause, effectively closing the matter.
Findings
- The investigation could not confirm a specific cause for the damage, as the physical traces did not match suspected scenarios such as contact with maintenance equipment or wind-related tie-down failure.
- The exact cause of the wingtip damage remains undetermined.
- Atmospheric conditions during the storm were not considered a direct contributing factor to the specific mechanism of the damage.