What happened
On 21 July 2006, a Cessna F172L, registration G-AZXD, was involved in a ground accident at Shobdon, Herefordshire. Following a landing on Runway 27, the pilot began taxiing back towards the mid-field parking area via Taxiway ‘B’. This taxiway runs from the western end of the runway toward the parking area, positioned near the northern boundary.
During the taxi, the aircraft passed near two large agricultural trailers that were parked on a narrow strip of grass between the taxiway and an adjacent potato field. One of these trailers was positioned at an angle to the taxiway axis, with one corner extending onto or very near the paved surface. As the pilot attempted to maneuver around this obstruction, the left wing of the aircraft made contact with the corner of the trailer. The impact occurred approximately 6 to 8 inches from the wingtip.
The investigation
The investigation examined the positioning of the parked equipment and the flight path of the aircraft. It was established that the trailer in question was overlapping the edge of the paved taxiway. The pilot provided a report acknowledging that the contact occurred while attempting to avoid the obstacle. The investigation also noted the pilot's flying experience, which included 308 total hours, with 26 hours specifically on this aircraft type.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained structural damage, including a buckled rear spar, a bent wing, and impact damage to the outboard rib.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's misjudgment of the available wingtip clearance when navigating around the parked trailer.