Factual Summary
On 15 August 2014, a Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer III, registration G-CGVC, was involved in a ground collision during taxi at Perranporth Airfield, Cornwall. The aircraft, manufactured in 2008, was being operated on a private flight with one pilot and one passenger. The pilot sustained minor injuries; the passenger was uninjured. Damage occurred to the left wingtip, propeller blades and spinner, left wing root, and fuselage.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the aircraft was taxiing toward the fuel pumps and control tower. Initially, the pilot moved to the right to avoid a parked aircraft whose right wing overhung the taxiway. Subsequently, the pilot moved left to avoid another aircraft parked on the right and to comply with a keep left sign, which was a road sign intended for vehicular traffic. While maneuvering, the pilot misjudged the distance of the left wingtip from a wooden fence post. The wingtip struck the post, causing the aircraft to yaw into the fence and then strike a tree stump behind it.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a single-engine Piper PA-28-181 powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M piston engine. The pilot, aged 57, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had a total flying experience of 368 hours, with 200 hours on type. In the last 90 days, the pilot had flown 5 hours, and in the last 28 days, 2 hours.
Contributing Factors
In the report submitted to the AAIB, the pilot considered that the distraction caused by the two parked aircraft and the keep left sign, combined with his own misjudgement, contributed to the collision.