What happened
On the afternoon of April 30, 2000, at approximately 17:15, a collision occurred on the ground at Colmar-Houssen aerodrome involving two aircraft operated by a local club. The first aircraft, a Cessna 207 Soloy Turbine Pac with registration F-GMIF, was taxiing for takeoff on runway 01 while carrying a pilot and seven parachutists.
As the pilot of the F-GMIF entered the right-hand turn preceding holding point 01, the aircraft's propeller struck the rudder of a Robin DR 300-120, registration F-BTXS, which was positioned at the holding point. The F-BTXS was being used for flight instruction with an instructor and a student pilot on board. The impact resulted in minor damage to one of the propeller blades on the F-GMIF and damage to the elevator and rudder of the F-BTXS. There were no fatalities or injuries reported in the incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the visibility conditions and the maneuvering of the aircraft during the taxi phase. The pilot of the F-GMIF reported that despite wearing sunglasses, he was significantly blinded by the sun's position. He noted that while he had observed the F-BTXS taxiing toward the runway a few minutes earlier, he could no longer distinguish the aircraft during the turn. Furthermore, because the pilot had not heard a controller authorize the F-BTXS to line up, he became uncertain of its exact position and applied the brakes, leading to the contact.
Investigators also examined the physical characteristics of the Cessna 207. It was determined that the aircraft's center of gravity and the weight of the seven passengers caused a nose-up attitude. This pitch, combined with the design of the engine cowling, significantly obstructed the pilot's forward visibility, forcing the pilot to rely on looking around the edges of the cowling to navigate the taxiway.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was the pilot's failure to perceive the stationary aircraft due to sun glare.
- The aircraft's nose-up attitude, caused by the heavy passenger load and weight distribution, severely limited the pilot's forward field of view.
- The design of the engine cowling further contributed to the obstruction of the pilot's view of the immediate area in front of the aircraft.