Incident Overview
On 18 August 1999 at 1320 UTC, a DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 310, registration VP-FBC, was involved in a ground collision with a parked PA-34 at Oxford (Kidlington) Airport. The flight was a private recency and general handling sortie with one pilot and no passengers. The pilot held an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence, was aged 34, and had accumulated 4,700 flying hours (1,800 on type), with 36 hours in the previous 90 and 28 days.
Taxi Sequence
The pilot contacted Oxford Ground, which shared the frequency 118.875 MHz with the Tower. After receiving taxi clearance, he followed a PA-31 along the taxiway in front of the tower. The PA-31 was warned by ATC about a PA-34 incorrectly parked on the left side of the taxiway, its tail encroaching onto the taxiway. The DHC-6 pilot heard this transmission. From his perspective, a correctly parked Beech 200 to the left of the PA-34 obscured his view of the PA-34. To the right, another aircraft was correctly parked opposite the Beech 200.
Once the PA-31 cleared the two aircraft, the DHC-6 taxied slowly along the yellow centreline. Having cleared the Beech 200 on his left, the pilot lost sight of it due to the left-hand engine's position. He then monitored the aircraft to his right to ensure safe clearance, successfully passing it. Shortly after, his attention was caught by a member of the airfield ground staff signalling him to shut down the engines.
Post-Incident Findings
After engine shutdown, it was discovered that the tail fin top cover of the PA-34 had broken upon contact with the left aileron/flap attachment bracket of the DHC-6. The DHC-6 sustained no damage. The pilot stated he had been unable to appreciate the close proximity of the PA-34 when his attention was diverted from the left by the aircraft he was avoiding on the right, compounded by difficulty in seeing tip clearance in the Twin Otter due to engine position.
Damage
The PA-34 suffered minor damage to the top of its tail fin, specifically the tail fin top cover. No injuries were reported.