History of the Flight
On October 11, 2009, at 10:35 Japan Standard Time (JST), a privately owned Piper PA-46-310P, registration JA4058, took off from Yao Airport under instrument flight rules. The aircraft landed on runway 29 of Tokushima Aerodrome at 10:57 and began taxiing toward spot No. 1. According to the captain, after landing he retracted the flaps and turned off the transponder. After passing taxiway N-3, he contacted Tokushima Ground Control, which instructed him to taxi via taxiway N-1. The captain read back the instruction but subsequently entered taxiway N-2, which he habitually used after landing on runway 29. He did not notice unserviceability lights or a closed marking indicating the construction area. The taxiway surface appeared normal, and he taxied maintaining the centerline until the aircraft entered the construction area and stopped after striking its nose against the ground. The incident occurred at about 10:58 JST on taxiway N-2. The captain had about 38.5 years of flight experience and had flown the aircraft for approximately 21 years. He had not checked NOTAMs before departure.
Damage to the Aircraft
The aircraft sustained minor damage. The nose landing gear actuator was broken, and the bottom of the engine cowling and the nose landing gear door were damaged.
Personnel Information
The captain was a 71-year-old male holding a commercial pilot certificate and instrument flight certificate. His total flight time was 2,805 hours 38 minutes, with 1,420 hours on the aircraft type. He held a valid Class 1 aviation medical certificate. The ground controller on duty was a 23-year-old male with a valid ATC controller certificate and aviation medical examination certificate. He had been controlling ground traffic for about one hour before the incident.
Aerodrome Information
Tokushima Aerodrome has an elevation of 26 feet. Runway 11/29 is 2,000 meters long and 45 meters wide. Taxiway N-2 crosses the runway at approximately 30 degrees and is 23 meters wide. The distance from the runway 29 threshold to the entrance of N-2 is about 1,650 meters. After instructing the aircraft to taxi via N-1, the ground controller left his position to update the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS). When the captain called again, the aircraft had already stopped on N-2. Unserviceability lights (five aeronautical red lights placed at about 3-meter intervals) and a closed marking were present at the construction area, but the captain stated he did not see them, possibly due to the aircraft's long main wings obstructing his view from the left seat.
Meteorological Information
At 11:00 JST, the wind was from 350 degrees at 9 knots, visibility was 25 kilometers, and the sky was few clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered at 5,000 feet, and few at 23,000 feet. Temperature was 19.8°C with a dew point of 9.0°C. The altimeter setting was 30.15 inHg.
Communication Information
Communication between the aircraft and air traffic control was good throughout.