What happened
On the evening of November 27, 2008, a Socata TB 20, registered F-GDNF, was conducting a night flight from Bordeaux Mérignac to Bergerac and returning to Bordeaux. Following the return flight, the pilot landed on runway 23. Due to the closure of several taxiways, the pilot was instructed to taxi via runway 11/29 up to stop point F, then via taxiways E3 and E1 to the civil aviation parking.
During the taxi sequence, at the intersection of taxiways L1 and L2, the pilot mistakenly turned right instead of left. Upon realizing the error, the pilot noted the presence of a twin-engine aircraft and personnel on the intended path and decided to navigate between a fuel pump and a hangar to reach the parking area. While maneuvering through this area under poor lighting conditions, the aircraft passed over a depression in the ground. Upon reaching the parking spot and preparing to maneuver the aircraft into a hangar, the pilot discovered that the propeller blade tips had been damaged by the impact with the ground surface.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the ground path taken and the physical characteristics of the site. Investigators identified the depression as a cement edge, approximately 15 centimeters high, which surrounds a helicopter parking area. Physical evidence of the propeller blades striking this edge was clearly visible. The investigation also noted that while taxiway L2 was illuminated by a spotlight, the lighting in the area where the strike occurred was insufficient for clear visibility.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a loss of attention toward the end of the flight, which led to an incorrect routing decision at the L1/L2 intersection.
- The pilot's decision to navigate through a narrow space between a hangar and a fuel pump, combined with poor lighting, contributed to the strike.
- The aircraft struck a 15cm cement curb while taxiing through the area.