What happened
On 12 January 2001, a Cessna 182P, registration G-BTHA, was conducting night circuit training at Liverpool Airport. Following the completion of several circuits using Runway 09, the pilot taxied the aircraft off the runway via the rapid exit turnoff.
While attempting to reach the General Aviation apron, the pilot missed the initial turn and performed a turnaround on the parallel taxiway to reposition the aircraft. During the subsequent taxi from the taxiway toward the apron, the pilot encountered significant difficulty navigating due to being dazzled by overhead ramp lighting. Consequently, the aircraft drifted off the paved taxiway surface, causing the nosewheel to drop into a hole. This impact resulted in the propeller striking the ground.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of taxiing maneuvers and the environmental conditions present at the time of the incident. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and potentially suffered an engine shock load as a result of the impact.