Incident Overview
On March 17, 2015, at 07:45 local time, an incident occurred at Angel S. Adami International Airport involving a Piper PA34-220T, registration CX-EFM, and a private car. The aircraft had been refueled and its engines were running with the static line still connected when the pilot of the intended flight arrived in his personal vehicle.
Circumstances
The pilot entered an area adjacent to the airport apron to conduct operations-related paperwork. Noticing the aircraft was still connected to ground power with engines running, he drove his car onto the apron, partially blocking the aircraft's path. He then exited the vehicle and began gesturing from the left side of the airplane.
On board the aircraft, the mechanic was seated in the right-seat position. His view to the left was obstructed by an opaque sunshade covering part of the windshield. Without performing a safety inspection around the aircraft, the mechanic initiated taxi movement. The propeller of engine 1 struck the parked vehicle.
Findings
The investigation identified two contributing factors:
- Unauthorized entry of a private vehicle onto the airport apron.
- Commencement of taxi without a safety inspection around the aircraft and with a partially blocked windshield.
Under national and international regulations, this event was classified as neither an accident nor a serious incident.
Safety Recommendations
The commission issued recommendations to the Dirección Nacional de Aviación Civil e Infraestructura Aeronáutica (DINACIA):
- Monitor personnel involved in aircraft operations to ensure compliance with safety standards.
- Control the circulation of authorized vehicles within airport installations.