What happened
On 6 October 2002, a Pierre Robin R1180TD Aiglon, registration G-GDER, completed a routine landing on Runway 06 at Fairoaks Airport. Following the landing, air traffic control instructed the pilot to proceed to the end of the runway and vacate to the left.
While following these instructions, the pilot continued taxiing past the point where the aircraft should have stopped to await clearance for backtracking. Due to ongoing construction of a new taxiway, a temporary taxiing procedure was in effect. The pilot taxied onto the grass area, navigating around two rows of cones that had been placed to section off the standard eastern taxiway route. During this maneuver, the aircraft's wheels entered a shallow trench, measuring approximately 6 to 8 inches in depth. This impact caused the right landing gear leg to bend backwards and resulted in a twisted right wing spar.
The investigation
The investigation examined the taxiing route and the temporary procedures in place at the time of the incident. It was established that the aircraft was operating a private flight and the crew consisted of one pilot and four passengers, all of whom escaped without none injuries. The investigation reviewed the local information available to pilots, noting that the construction-related changes were documented in a Class 1 NOTAM (reference L1808/02) and a local information sheet. These documents were prominently displayed in the Fairoaks Flight Centre briefing room and the Air Traffic Control tower.