What happened
On 14 July 2009, a Piper PA-34-200 Seneca, registration G-AZOL, was parked on a taxiway near the fuel pumps at Stapleford Flying Club. The aircraft was positioned in a manner that obstructed access to the fuel pumps, preventing other aircraft from refuelling.
An instructor, believing the aircraft had been left there temporarily due to a potential engine issue, entered the right-hand seat to begin starting the right engine. After visually confirming that the parking brake was engaged, the instructor initiated the start sequence. As the engine came to life, the aircraft began to move forward. The instructor attempted to use the footbrakes to stop the movement, but discovered that the footbert brakes were not installed for the right-hand pilot position on this specific aircraft. Consequently, the aircraft veered to the left, causing the right propeller blades to strike the radiator grille and bonnet of a nearby parked van. There were no injuries to the crew, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the leading edge of the wing.
The investigation
The investigation established that the instructor had assumed the aircraft was parked there for refuelling purposes. Upon shutting down the engine, the instructor inspected the parking brake and found it could be pulled to an additional notch, suggesting it was not fully secured. The investigation also noted that while the club operated three PA-34 aircraft, G-AZOL was the only one lacking footbrakes in the right-hand seat.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to fully secure the parking brake.
- The instructor was unable to intervene using the footbrakes because the right-hand pilot position on G-AZOL was not equipped with them.
- The aircraft's position near the fuel pumps created a hazard for other airfield operations.