What happened
On September 2, 2006, an F7 Rondone II, registration I-JOHN, was involved in a ground incident at Viterally Airport. The aircraft, operated by a private individual, was performing a taxi from the hangar apron toward the asphalt taxiway for a planned flight to Palermo Boccadifalco.
During the transit across the grassy area separating the apron from the taxiway, the aircraft's nose wheel struck a natural depression caused by a hole in the ground. This sudden impact caused the nose gear to retract, leading to an immediate strike of the propeller against the terrain. The two occupants, the pilot and a passenger, were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft independently. The incident resulted in damage to both the propeller and the nose wheel.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the surface conditions of the airport's movement area. The investigation established that the area between the civilian hangars and the taxiway consists of unpaved, grassy terrain. The investigators found that the aircraft's path required traversing this uneven surface.
Following the event, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) issued an ordinance requiring that all aircraft moving from civilian hangars to the runway taxiway must do so with their engines shut down, mandating that engine starts and taxiing occur only on paved surfaces. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions, which were favorable (CAVOK) at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the retraction of the nose gear triggered by the nose wheel becoming trapped in a hole in the uneven grassy surface.
- The lack of paved surfaces connecting the civilian hangars to the taxiway necessitated traversing unstable terrain.
Safety action
- The ANSV issued a recommendation to the national civil aviation authority to consider paving the connection areas between the civilian hangars and the runway taxiway at Viterbo Airport to prevent similar occurrences.