Incident Description
On Saturday, 15 March 2003, at approximately 10:15 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 (registration EC-GLA) and a Cessna 152 (registration EC-FPQ) collided while taxiing at Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport. The PA-23, with an instructor and two students on board, was preparing for a visual flight to Sevilla. The Cessna 152, with a single pilot, was preparing for a pleasure flight.
Both aircraft had been instructed by the control tower to taxi to holding point 10. The PA-23 taxied towards exit D to join the taxiway. The student pilot in the left seat was handling the controls; she had 125 total flight hours, of which 1.5 were on the PA-23, and was making her first takeoff in this type. As the PA-23 turned from exit D onto the taxiway, it deviated slightly left of the yellow taxi line, prompting the instructor to give instructions on pedal use. When the aircraft was approximately 45° into the 90° turn, the crew saw the Cessna approaching from the right and stopped.
The pilot of the Cessna 152 had seen the PA-23 exiting onto the taxiway and assumed it would stop. When it did not, he attempted to turn right to avoid a collision but could not prevent the right propeller of the PA-23, which was turning at idle, from striking the left wing of the Cessna. The impact caused four cuts in the lower skin of the left wing, corresponding to two revolutions of the two-blade propeller. The cuts were oriented at about 45° to the wing axis and became progressively deeper towards the fuselage.
After the collision, the Cessna continued for approximately 20 meters beyond exit D and stopped. Both aircraft taxied to the parking area under their own power. Ground personnel and airport firefighters removed debris from the taxiway.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-23-250 (EC-GLA) was powered by two Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engines. The aircraft was 31 years old. The Cessna 152 (EC-FPQ) was powered by one Continental O-200 engine and was 36 years old. The PA-23 was undamaged. The Cessna sustained damage to the left wing cowling, navigation light, aileron, skin, outer rib, and rear spar.
Crew Information
The pilot-in-command of the PA-23 held a Commercial Pilot License (A) and a flight instructor certificate, with a total of 2,100 flight hours, about 130 of which were on the PA-23. The student pilot at the controls had 125 total flight hours, including 1.5 hours on the PA-23. The second student, seated in the back, had 15 hours on the PA-23. The pilot of the Cessna 152 held a Commercial Pilot License (A) with approximately 270 total flight hours.
Communications
The control tower instructed both aircraft to taxi to holding point 10. The exact order of these clearances and the time between them could not be determined because the communication tapes had been overwritten. The tower controller had only one civil position open, handling both ground and aerodrome control on the same frequency (118.700 MHz). The controller did not follow the aircraft after issuing the taxi clearance and only became aware of the collision when the crews reported it.
Visibility and Regulations
Parked aircraft to the right of exit D obstructed the view of taxiway traffic from the PA-23. The applicable air traffic regulations require that when two aircraft are on converging taxi routes, the aircraft that has the other on its right shall give way. In this case, the PA-23 had the Cessna on its right.
Aftermath
No occupants of either aircraft were injured. The Cessna 152 was inspected and found to have significant damage. The PA-23 was inspected by operator personnel and found to be undamaged; it was dispatched for its flight later that morning.