What happened
On 27 March 2015, a Cessna F172E Skyhawk, registration G-ASNW, was involved in a serious incident at Draycot Aerodrome in Wiltshire during a private flight. The pilot performed the initial pre-flight inspections while the aircraft was still inside a hangar. After moving the aircraft out of the barn, the engine was started and the aircraft was taxied roughly 150 yards to the runway, where final checks were completed.
The flight proceeded normally, with the pilot completing two uneventful circuits. However, following the landing, the pilot was alerted to the presence of metal fragments found on the grass runway. Upon identifying these pieces as components of an aircraft towbar, a physical inspection of the aircraft was conducted. This inspection revealed that the propeller had sustained damage, which was consistent with an impact with the forgotten towbar.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had conducted the primary walkaround inspection inside the hangar. After the aircraft was moved outside, the pilot became distracted by an unrelated task before commencing the flight. This distraction led to the pilot failing to notice that the towbar remained connected to the aircraft. As the aircraft moved toward the runway, the towbar remained attached, eventually leading to the contact with the propeller.
Findings
- The primary cause of the propeller damage was the failure to remove the towbar from the aircraft prior to taxi and takeoff.
- The pilot's pre-flight inspection was completed in the hangar, which contributed to the oversight.
- A distraction occurring after the aircraft was moved from the hangar prevented the pilot from noticing the attached equipment.