What happened
On February 10, 2004, a Mudry Cap 10 B aircraft, registered F-GGYJ, was involved in a ground incident at Merville aerodrome. Following a dual-instruction flight, a trainee pilot remained alone in the aircraft to conduct a solo flight. After taxiing to the holding point for runway 22, the pilot positioned the aircraft on a heading of 130 degrees on the taxiway to perform engine run-up procedures.
As the pilot increased engine power toward 1,800 RPM, the tailwheel lifted from the ground once the engine reached approximately 1,500 RPM. This caused the aircraft to begin pitching forward. The pilot attempted to correct the movement by reducing power and applying full aft elevator; however, the forward pitch continued. In an effort to stop the rotation, the pilot shut down the engine by cutting the mixture. Due to the momentum of the forward tilt, the propeller struck the taxiway surface before the aircraft settled back onto its wheels.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the engine test and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Investigators noted that the aircraft, a taildragger, was positioned on a 15-meter wide taxiway. The weather conditions were reported as CAVOK with a temperature of 5°C and a wind from 230 degrees at 10 knots. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting that while the trainee held a CPL, they had no prior experience operating a tailwheel aircraft solo.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the insufficient consideration of wind effects during the engine run-up tests.
- The propeller sustained damage during the impact with the ground.