What happened
On 4 September 2013, a Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II, registration G-BSVG, was involved in a ground collision at Perranporth Airfield in Cornwall. The aircraft, which was being operated on a private flight, had recently completed its landing and was taxiing along the perimeter track. At the time of the incident, the aircraft was passing the hangar, which was the only area containing parked aircraft that day.
As the aircraft proceeded, its left wingtip made contact with the left wingtip of a stationary Rockwell Commander, registration G-BYKB, which was attached to a ground handling tug and unoccupied. The force of the impact caused the G-BSVG to rotate left by roughly 45 degrees before coming to a halt. Both aircraft experienced damage to their respective wingtips. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board the Cherokee.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances leading to the contact between the two aircraft. The pilot reported that during the taxi phase, his attention was divided. He was attempting to locate the airfield fuel point while simultaneously performing a radio call. This dual focus resulted in a failure to maintain adequate clearance from the parked Rockwell Commander.