What happened
On June 27, 2008, during a flight training session at the Pias Longas ULM airstrip in Ourém, a Tecnam P-92 Echo, registration CS-UHB, was involved in a ground incident. During the initial taxi phase, the instructor noted that the student pilot was struggling with engine power application and lateral directional control. Due to these difficulties, the instructor decided to abort the planned flight and instead focus on ground coordination and control exercises.
While taxiing from the runway toward the parking area, the student pilot missed the first exit. While attempting to use the second taxiway connection, the aircraft struck a runway marker. The impact caused damage to the tips of the wooden propeller. There were no injuries to the two occupants, and the engine remained operational following the replacement of the propeller.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the circumstances of the taxi maneuver and the airfield environment. The investigation established that the aircraft was in a fully airworthy condition with no mechanical failures. The investigation focused on the visibility conditions, the positioning of airfield markers, and the proficiency of the crew during the ground maneuver.
Findings
Several contributing factors were identified during the investigation:
- The student pilot was experiencing significant difficulty maintaining control of the aircraft on the ground, which led to the deviation from the taxi path.
- The instructor failed to take preemptive corrective action or provide timely verbal warnings to prevent the collision.
- A metal cone used as a runway marker had been displaced approximately five meters from its normal position.
- The white color of the marker provided poor contrast against the limestone surface of the airfield.
- Environmental conditions, specifically the low angle of the sun near the horizon, significantly reduced horizontal visibility and hindered the crew's ability to perceive the obstacle.
Safety action
- Pilots are reminded to carefully plan all flight missions, accounting for airfield characteristics, the presence of obstacles, and the impact of natural phenomena such as sun position and its effect on visibility.
- Aerodrome operators are encouraged to maintain conditions necessary for safe operations, ensuring compliance with ICAO Annex 14 and national regulations regarding runway marking, obstacle identification, and airfield signaling.