Incident Overview
On August 28, 2018, in the afternoon, a pilot holding a Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) arrived at Babice Airport (EPBC) to conduct a flight to Jastarnia landing site (EPJA) in a Cessna 172S. After performing a pre-flight inspection, the pilot used a tow bar to move the aircraft to a fuel station to refuel. Following refueling with 58 liters of fuel, the pilot disconnected the grounding cable, rolled up the fuel hose, and began a cockpit inspection before starting the engine.
Sequence of Events
During engine start, the propeller struck the tow bar, which had not been removed from the nose landing gear. The pilot immediately shut down the engine. An inspection of the propeller revealed damage—specifically, a broken blade tip (as shown in a photograph included in the report). The aircraft was subsequently taken out of service. The propeller underwent major repair, and the engine was sent for verification.
Cause
According to the investigation, the cause of the incident was the pilot's failure to perform the pre-flight inspection.
Preventive Actions
After the incident, the operator held a discussion with the pilot regarding pre-start procedures. The event was also discussed at the annual conference of the BL Aeroclub of Warsaw.
Safety Recommendations
No safety recommendations were issued by the commission.
Additional Remarks
The incident occurred on August 28, 2018, but was reported on September 4, 2018, which is not compliant with the Aviation Law requirement that reporting be done within 72 hours of the event.