What happened
On 6 April 2006, a Piper L21B Super Cub, registration G-BMKB, was involved in a ground accident at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey. The aircraft, which was being used for training, had landed on Runway 26R and had been cleared to taxi toward Hangar 8 via Taxiway A. During the taxiing process, the aircraft's right elevator made light contact with the G3 marker board, which is located at a holding point on the west side of the displaced threshold for Runway 18. The impact resulted in a 10 cm tear in the fabric of the elevator. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the marker board was correctly positioned and its presence was well-promulgated. However, the pilot noted that when Runway 26 is active, the grass area between Taxiway A and Hangar 8 becomes a high-traffic area. The pilot further explained that the G3 marker board, which is only 10 cm wide, can easily become obscured from view when approaching from the north or south because it is set against a background of parked aircraft and open hangar doors.
The investigation also identified that this was the second incident involving this specific marker board within five months, following a collision involving a Stampe SV4C(G), registration G-Bermuda, in November 2005. Furthermore, it was noted that the aerodrome's Users' Committee had been suspended since 2004, meaning changes to aerodrome layout or procedures were being communicated primarily via email rather than through formal committee discussions.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was the light contact between the aircraft's right elevator and the G3 marker board.
- The narrow width of the marker board (10 cm) made it difficult to identify when viewed side-on.
- The visual background of parked aircraft and open hangars contributed to the board being lost from the pilot's sight.
- A lack of formal, regular consultation between the aerodrome operator and flying organisations contributed to the difficulty in communicating procedural changes.