What happened
On 6 February 2004, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftan, registration G-IFIT, was being taxied to a parking position at Cardiff Airport. The aircraft was engaged in a training flight with two crew members on board.
As the aircraft approached the ramp, a marshaller positioned between two parked Shorts 360 aircraft provided signals to the commander. The instructions directed the pilot to pass to the left of the marshaller, perform a 180-degree turn, and park parallel to the other aircraft. During the maneuver, the commander lost visual contact with the marshaller. To mitigate the risk of hitting obstacles, the commander requested that the occupant in the right seat monitor the right wingtip while initiating a left-hand turn.
Shortly after the turn began, the crew felt a physical impact. The commander immediately halted the aircraft, at which point the marshaller reappeared and signaled for the aircraft to stop. No injuries were sustained by the crew.
The investigation
The investigation established that the collision occurred between the G-IFIT and one of the stationary Shorts 360 aircraft. The impact caused damage to the top of the rudder and fin of the Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftan, as well as damage to the underside of the right wing of the Shorts 360.
Findings
- The accident was caused by the commander failing to stop the aircraft promptly after losing sight of the marshaller.
- The crew attempted to manage the risk of the maneuver by assigning a lookout for the right wingtip, but the turn continued despite the loss of visual contact with the ground guide.