What happened
On 18 May 2017, a Piper PA 32R-301T, registration N88NA, was being taxied at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. The pilot was moving the aircraft from a grass parking area toward a hangar, utilizing a recently completed concrete apron. As the aircraft approached the eastern edge of this new apron, the nose landing gear lost support after sinking into soft ground situated immediately adjacent to the concrete surface. This caused the gear to collapse, resulting in the propeller striking the concrete. There were no injuries to the pilot during the incident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the ground conditions and the markings present at the airfield at the time of the accident. It was established that the pilot believed entry to the concrete apron was permitted from the east side. While the eastern approach had previously been designated as unusable via the use of orange gates, a marker had been removed due to ongoing construction work at the site. This removal led the pilot to conclude that the eastern side of the apron was accessible for taxiing.