What happened
On March 9, 2003, at 11:50 local time, a Cessna 172N Skyhawk, registered F-GBQH, was involved in a ground incident at Bastia-Bradanelli Airport (AD Bastia 20B). The aircraft, operated by a flying club, was engaged in a flight for travel purposes following a short stop.
After completing a brief stopover, the pilot reviewed the ATIS information before preparing for the return flight to Figari. Following engine start, the pilot decided to perform engine checks at the holding point, noting the low volume of air traffic. During the taxi phase, the air traffic controller provided the pilot with a transponder code. As the pilot looked down toward the instrument panel to input the code into the transponder unit, the aircraft drifted slightly from its path, causing the propeller to strike a beacon marking the edge of the parking area.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the taxi maneuver and the pilot's actions while interacting with the cockpit controls. The examination established that the aircraft's deviation from the taxi path occurred specifically while the pilot's attention was diverted from the taxiway to the instrument panel to process the controller's instructions.