What happened
On January 9, 2002, at 16:55 local time, two aircraft operated by flight schools were conducting instructional flights at the Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome in Madrid. The first aircraft, a Cessna 152 with registration EC-EQO, arrived at the runway 10 holding point and came to a stop. Shortly thereafter, a Piper PA-28-161 Cadet, registration EC-HMH, approached the same position, positioning itself slightly behind and to the right of the Cessna.
While awaiting takeoff clearance from the control tower, the crew of the Piper was performing their pre-takeoff checklists. During this process, the Piper began to move forward slowly without the pilot noticing. The propeller of the Piper struck the trailing edge of the right wingtip of the Cessna, causing the wingtip structure to disintegrate as the propeller passed through it. The pilot of the Piper reacted by immediately shutting down the engine.
Both crews, consisting of an instructor and a student in each aircraft, were uninjured. Following the incident, the airport's fire services assisted in moving both aircraft away from the holding point.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the movement of the Piper PA-28-161 Cadet and the cause of the collision. Investigators determined that the aircraft had drifted forward while the crew was focused on the "before takeoff" checklist. The pilot of the Piper reported that the crew was concentrated on the procedural checks and operated under the belief that the parking brake had been correctly engaged. This concentration led to a delayed reaction in noticing the aircraft's movement and a delay in stopping the engine.
Damage assessments revealed that the Cessna 152 sustained significant damage, specifically the destruction of the final 60 centimeters of the right wingtip in the aileron area. The Piper PA-28-161 Cadet sustained minor damage, consisting of scratches on the propeller blades and erosion on the propeller's leading edge.
Findings
- The collision was caused by the unnoticed movement of the aircraft on the ground.
- The pilot's attention was diverted by the performance of pre-takeoff checklists, resulting in a failure to monitor the external environment.
- The crew believed the parking brake was properly applied, which contributed to the lack of awareness regarding the aircraft's forward drift.
- Meteorological conditions were favorable, with no significant wind or gusts reported at the time of the event.
Safety action
- REC 18/2002: Flight training schools are recommended to develop operating procedures that improve crew coordination in accordance with Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles.
- REC 19/2002: It is recommended that the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) consider the inclusion and application of crew coordination concepts when evaluating and approving the operating manuals of flight training schools.