What happened
On 5 April 2007, a Piper PA-2SS-161, registration G-BPMR, was participating in a private flight when an incident occurred during taxiing at Enstone Aerodrome, Oxfordshire. After completing a routine landing on the asphalt Runway 26, the pilot began backtracked toward the parking area. During this maneuver, the pilot's attention was drawn to another aircraft that was in the process of landing on the adjacent grass Runway 26.
As the pilot observed the landing aircraft, the G-BPMR drifted toward the left side of the taxi path. The aircraft subsequently struck a fence consisting of posts and wire strands that separated the main runway area from a maintenance facility's grass strip. The initial impact with a fence post caused the aircraft to swing further to the left, resulting in the left wing making contact with several more posts. The aircraft came to a stop, and all three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—exited the aircraft without any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation, prompted by the pilot's accident report, focused on the sequence of events during the backtrack. Investigators examined the layout of Enstone Aerodrome, noting that a wire fence ran parallel to the north side of the asphalt Runway 26. The investigation established that the pilot had chosen to backtrack north of the marked runway area to avoid interference with other aircraft operating in the vicinity, specifically the aircraft landing on the grass strip.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot distraction caused by observing another aircraft landing on the grass runway.
- The aircraft's movement toward the left led to the impact with the fence posts.
- The damage was localized to the leading edge of the left wing.