What happened
On 4 April 1999, a Beech 76, registration G-BXXT, was involved in a ground collision at Southampton Airport, Hampshire. The aircraft had arrived at the parking area following a private flight from Old Sarum Airfield.
Upon arrival, the pilot engaged the parking brake by depressing the brake pedals and pulling the handle while the engines were at idle. To facilitate engine cooling prior to shutdown, the pilot increased the engine power to the recommended 1,200 RPM. While the pilot was focused on performing the shutdown checklist, the aircraft began to drift forward. The movement continued until the Beech 76 struck the tail of a parked Cessna 421. The collision resulted in damage to the nose fuselage, the front windscreen, and both propellers. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the pilot completed the remaining shutdown procedures and exited the aircraft without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical state of the braking system and the pilot's procedures. An engineering inspection of the aircraft revealed that the parking brake system was fully functional and contained no defects. However, it was noted by the operator that the effectiveness of the parking brake was dependent on the amount of pressure applied to the brake pedals at the moment the handle was engaged.
Findings
- The pilot was focused on the shutdown checklist, which diverted attention from the aircraft's movement.
- The pilot had limited experience on this specific aircraft type.
- The aircraft began to move forward because the parking brake was not sufficiently secured by adequate pedal pressure during application.