What happened
On 4 September 2015, a Cessna 172P Skyhawk, registration G-BNRR, was involved in a ground incident at North Weald Airfield, Essex. Following a successful landing, the pilot was taxiing the aircraft toward a designated parking area, following the taxiway centreline.
As the aircraft progressed along the taxiway, the pilot observed several children running toward the aircraft. Because there were no physical barriers in place to prevent them from approaching the taxiway, the pilot's attention was diverted from the taxiway path. During this period of distraction, the pilot miscalculated the distance between the aircraft and a vehicle that was parked near the edge of the taxiway. Consequently, the left wingtip of the aircraft made contact with the parked vehicle, causing the aircraft to yaw to the left before coming to a halt.
There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft was vacated normally following the shutdown of the engine. The impact resulted in damage to the left wing leading edge, the lower spar, and the aircraft's rear window.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the pilot's loss of situational awareness and the presence of hazards on the airfield. The inquiry established that the pilot's attention was drawn to the movement of children near the taxiway, which led to a failure to maintain adequate clearance from stationary objects on the airfield.