What happened
While backtracking, the pilot flying began a wide left turn using a turnaround pad, a maneuver commonly used to navigate the King Air B2/B200. During this turn, the pilot flying deviated to the right of the intended track. The pilot mistakenly aligned the aircraft with blue taxiway edge lights and double yellow edge markings, subconsciously treating these as taxiway guidance rather than the edge of the turning pad.
As the aircraft moved toward the edge of the pad, the right propeller struck a taxi light. There were no fatalities or injuries resulting from the contact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot flying's misinterpretation of ground markings and the actions of the supervising pilot. Although the pilot flying was highly experienced with various training and management approvals, they reported that they subconsciously mistook the edge lights and double yellow lines for taxiway centerline guidance.
The supervisor pilot was monitoring the taxi path and initially observed the rightward deviation as part of the normal turning procedure. While the supervisor did issue a correction once the aircraft was near the pad edge light, the proximity to the light meant there was insufficient time to prevent the strike. The investigation examined the supervisor's decision-making process and the timing of their intervention.
Findings
- The pilot flying misidentified the taxiway edge lights and double yellow markings as taxi guidance.
- The supervisor pilot's delayed intervention contributed to the event. The supervisor's belief in the pilot flying's capability led to a level of monitoring that allowed the deviation to progress too far before a correction was issued.
- The supervisor's adherence to training techniques, which involved allowing the pilot flying a degree of latitude, resulted in a lack of assertiveness that left insufficient time to avoid the taxi light.