What happened
On 20 February 2004, a Jodel D11 and registration G-AZHC was involved in an accident at Caernarfon Airfield, Gwynedd, during a private flight. The pilot had flown the aircraft from Netherthorpe to Caernarfon with plans to refuel and return to the original airfield. At the time of the incident, the weather was characterized by a 30-knot wind from 040 degrees and scattered cloud at 4,500 feet.
While taxiing toward the holding point for Runway 02, the pilot initially moved the aircraft with the wind from behind. To prevent the wind from lifting the tail, the pilot had positioned the control column forward. After performing power checks while facing into the wind, the pilot attempted to taxi toward the runway using approximately 20% to 30% power, utilizing left differential braking and rudder to navigate the taxiway. As the aircraft turned and the wind shifted to an abeam position, the tail began to lift rapidly. The propeller struck the taxiway surface before the pilot could react. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and exhaust.
The investigation
The investigation, based on the pilot's accident report, focused on the aircraft's handling during the taxi maneuver under high wind conditions. The inquiry examined the pilot's actions regarding the control column position and the impact of the wind direction on the aircraft's stability. It was established that the pilot had failed to maintain the forward control column position used during the initial taxi from the parking area.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to maintain the control column in the forward position during the turn.
- Strong winds from the right prevented the propeller wash from reaching the tail, reducing the aerodynamic force needed to keep the tail down.
- The pilot was unable to sufficiently reduce power or braking pressure to allow the aircraft to weathercock into the wind before the propeller struck the ground.