Circumstances
On Sunday, 6 March 2011, at 11:40 local time, the pilot of a Piper Aircraft PA-28 (registration F-GDAJ) was taxiing with another pilot on board towards the holding point of runway 05 for a return flight to Chelles aerodrome. An Aquila AT01 (registration F-GTOC) was parked on the apron at the edge of the taxiway with its engine running; its pilot was preparing a return flight to Lognes aerodrome.
When the PA-28 reached the position of the Aquila, the wingtip of the PA-28's left wing struck the tip of the Aquila's right wing. The pilot of the PA-28 continued taxiing. The pilot of the Aquila then called him on the radio frequency. The PA-28 pilot turned around and stopped his aircraft on the parking area.
Damage
Examination showed that the left wingtip of the PA-28 was heavily damaged and partially torn off. The winglet of the Aquila's right wing was partially torn off, and the wing was heavily damaged up to the flap.
Pilot Actions
After the collision, the pilot of the Aquila attempted to contact his club without success. Following a discussion about the condition of both aircraft, the two pilots decided to proceed with their flights to their respective destinations. The pilot of the Aquila stated that there were no ground markings in that part of the parking area. The pilot of the PA-28 reported that he did not feel any impact but only a jolt, which he attributed to an uneven surface. He added that he had the sun in his eyes. It was not possible to determine whether the Aquila's wing extended beyond the parking area.
Pilot Information
The pilot of the PA-28 held a private pilot license for aeroplanes issued in 1990 and had accumulated 360 flight hours. The pilot of the Aquila held a PPL(A) issued in 2008 and had 165 flight hours.
Conclusion
The accident is due to a poor evaluation of distances during taxi by the pilot of the PA-28. The position of the Aquila on the parking and the absence of ground markings may have contributed to the accident.