What happened
On July 25, 2021, a Piper 2 southbound registration OY-BLZ was involved in an accident at Roskilde Airport (EKRK) during a private taxi operation. The flight had originated from Anholt (EKAT) under visual flight rules (VFR).
Following a successful landing, the pilot attempted to taxi the aircraft to a hangar area. Upon reaching the vicinity of hangarway E, the pilot observed that another aircraft was obstructing the southern access route. To bypass this obstacle, the pilot elected to reroute via hangarway F, intending to turn left onto taxiway H to approach hangarway E from the north. During this maneuver, the pilot executed a left turn prematurely, inadvertently steering the aircraft onto a roadway designated for cars rather than onto taxiway H. This error caused the left wing of the aircraft to collide with a light pole.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's path and the markings present at the site. The roadway used by the pilot was clearly demarcated with red shark's teeth and a red dashed line, while the center of the hangarway was marked with a solid yellow line. The light pole involved in the collision featured red and white reflective markings. Physical inspection of the Piper 28-151 revealed a large dent in the leading edge of the left wing and damage to a wing rib. The light pole showed paint transfer from the aircraft's wing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an unintentional premature turn by the pilot during taxi.
- The aircraft deviated from the intended taxiway path and entered a vehicle roadway.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or the three passengers on board.