Event Overview
On 19 April 2022, at 13:34 UTC, a Pilatus PC-12/47E, registration OE-EPH, operated by Goldeck-Flug Gesellschaft m.b.H., arrived at Bolzano Airport (LIPB) from Graz on a commercial air transport flight. The aircraft taxied to parking stand 202 and came to a stop. An airport operator, tasked with positioning wheel chocks, approached the aircraft from the front. At that time, the propeller was still rotating, and the aircraft's anticollision and navigation lights were illuminated. The operator made contact with the rotating propeller and sustained serious injuries. He was immediately rescued and transported to a hospital.
Aircraft and Operator Information
The accident aircraft was a Pilatus PC-12/47E, serial number 1843, a single-engine turboprop with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P engine and a front-mounted propeller. The aircraft had accumulated just over 1,450 flight hours and its last maintenance was performed on 14 March 2022. The airworthiness review certificate (ARC) was valid at the time of the event. The aircraft sustained no damage.
The flight crew consisted of a 36-year-old Austrian commander and a 28-year-old Austrian first officer. The commander held a valid ATPL(A) with a Pilatus PC-12 SET rating and a valid class 1 medical certificate, with 5,600 total flight hours (530 on the PC-12). The first officer held a valid CPL(A) with a PC-12 SET rating and a valid class 1 medical certificate, with 830 total flight hours (515 on the PC-12). Their recent flight experience was typical for their duties.
The airport operator was a 28-year-old Italian national hired on 10 March 2022 by the airport management company ABD Airport under a one-year fixed-term contract with a three-month probation period. He had completed several training courses, including airside safety, basic airport operations, marshalling, and security. He held a valid airport license issued by ENAC. On the day of the accident, he began his afternoon shift approximately two hours before the event. He was wearing noise-canceling headphones as required.
Environmental Conditions
The accident occurred on the main apron at parking stand 202, a concrete surface. Meteorological conditions were not critical: visibility was good, no precipitation was occurring, and the sun was positioned to the left of the operator (elevation about 55 degrees), not causing glare in his direction of travel.
Relevant Regulations
According to the Bolzano Airport Regulations (ENAC ordinance 93/2013 BZO), movement of personnel and vehicles within the aircraft perimeter is prohibited when anticollision lights are illuminated, as this indicates the aircraft may be about to start engines or is maneuvering. Positioning of chocks and access to the stand within the aircraft safety area is only permitted after the arriving aircraft has stopped and turned off its anticollision lights, with exceptions for parking assistance activities that must comply with applicable safety rules. At the time of the accident, the anticollision lights on OE-EPH were still on.
Investigation Findings
A surveillance camera recording showed the sequence of events: the aircraft taxied to stand 202 and stopped; the operator approached from the front carrying chocks; while the aircraft was stationary with anticollision and navigation lights on and propeller rotating, the operator came into contact with the propeller. The investigation did not determine a probable cause for the accident.