History of the Flight
The pilot, a 63-year-old holder of a Private Pilot's Licence with 329 hours total flying experience (32 hours on type), had been a member of the flying group that owned G-ATTX since November 2007. Previously, he had flown Cessna 150s and Cessna 172s with toe brakes. The club's parking procedure was to chock the wheels and leave the parking brake off. He had flown 25 hours in G-ATTX and noted that the single brake lever, used for both taxi braking and parking, required him to look or feel for it, unlike the toe brakes on earlier aircraft.
Pre-Flight and Engine Start
On 9 October 2008 at 1130 UTC, the pilot was preparing for a flight to Popham Airfield with one passenger. He moved the aircraft by hand to the fuel pumps, parked it facing the pumps with the nosewheel chocked and the parking brake released. After refuelling, he pushed it back approximately 30 metres to a parking space. The pilot and passenger entered the aircraft, and the pilot commenced the pre-engine start checks using a printed checklist. He read the second item, 'Brakes – ON', but apparently did not carry out the action.
Collision
When the engine started, the aircraft immediately began to move forward and accelerate. The pilot could not recall if he closed the throttle. He first attempted to stop the aircraft by pressing the rudder pedals. When this had no effect, he grabbed the flap lever, then reached forward for the brake lever, but before he could locate it, the nose of the aircraft struck the airfield mower attached to a tractor parked next to the main hangar.
Aftermath
The pilot selected the electrical master switch and fuel selector to OFF. He and his passenger, both uninjured, vacated the aircraft through the normal exit. The airfield Rescue and Fire Fighting Service attended immediately but there was no fire. Damage was sustained to the nose landing gear and propeller, with possible engine shock loading.
Pilot's Conclusion
The pilot reported that the main cause of the accident was that he did not apply the parking brake when he read the relevant checklist item. He considered that, even after accumulating 25 hours in the aircraft, his instinct in the emergency was to revert to his previous training and attempt to use toe brakes. He also noted that operating in a confined space with limited time to find the hand brake lever contributed to the outcome.