What happened
On June 5, 2019, at approximately 19:50 LMT, a Jak-12M aircraft was taxiing at Gliwice Airport (EPGL) with the intention of performing a winch launch for a PW-5 glider. During the taxiing maneuver, the engine cowling of the aircraft obstructed the pilot's view of an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider positioned to the left of the taxi path. As the aircraft proceeded, its left wing struck the upper portion of the glider's rudder. The collision resulted in damage to the upper part of the glider's rudder and a section of the aircraft's left slot.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot of the aircraft had previously handed over flight management duties to another instructor. While the instructor was verifying the glider pilot's preparations, the aircraft pilot began taxiing without receiving clearance from the person in charge of flight operations. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was airworthy, properly documented, and insured. A police breathalyzer test administered to the pilot following the incident returned a result of 0.00 mg/l of alcohol.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot error involving a failure to follow proper taxiing procedures for an aircraft with a tailwheel configuration.
- The incident was exacerbated by the fact that taxiing commenced without the consent of the flight manager.
- The positioning of two gliders side-by-side on the runway, rather than in a single file, contributed to the collision.