What happened
On 12 July 2006, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II, registration G-BNVE, was returning to MCA Daedalus in Lee-on-Solent following a private flight to Guernsey. The flight included the pilot and two passengers. Upon landing on Runway 23, the pilot sought a specific grass taxiway known to exist at the airfield. Unable to locate the entrance to this taxiway, the pilot continued taxiing along a metalled perimeter taxiway.
While proceeding, the pilot encountered a set of metal gates positioned at an angle across the taxiway. In an attempt to pass through this gateway, the aircraft's left wing struck the gate. The impact caused the aircraft to slew, prompting the pilot to stop and shut down the engine. There were no injuries to the occupants, though the aircraft sustained impact damage to the fuselage and left wing.
The investigation
Investigators examined the airfield layout and the recent construction activity at the site. The airfield, formerly a government facility, was undergoing redevelopment into an industrial estate, which had necessitated the installation of a new perimeter fence and various gateways.
At the time of the accident, the mown grass taxiway was unmarked, and its entrance was difficult to identify because it was obscured by a widely mown area where the taxiway met the perimeter taxiway. While the pilot had access to information regarding the gate's narrow width, the lack of clear visual markings for the new taxiway contributed to the navigational error. The investigation also noted that the airfield's official description had been updated with text regarding the gate's dimensions, but the physical airfield plan had not been updated to reflect the new fence and gate positions.
Findings
- The pilot failed to locate the grass taxiway entrance due to a lack of obvious markings.
- The aircraft's wingspan was only 0.95 metres wider than the gateway, leaving a very small margin for error.
- The pilot misjudged the aircraft's position relative to the staggered gate.
- The lack of clear markings for the grass taxiway entrance made it difficult to navigate the airfield's changing layout.
- The aircraft was not traveling at a speed appropriate for the maneuver being attempted.