What happened
On 1 February 1999, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration G-BOUL, was involved in a ground collision at Oxford Airport. The flight was being conducted as a commercial training operation. Due to poor visibility, the crew decided to perform rejected take-off practice on the runway rather than departing the airfield.
Following the completion of these exercises, the aircraft vacated the active runway. During the transition to the taxiway, the instructor was focused on performing pre-shutdown checks and resetting flying control trims within the cockpit. While the instructor was occupied with these internal procedures, a student pilot was maintaining control of the aircraft. During this period, the aircraft struck a fuel bowser that was stationary on the taxiway, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing.
The investigation
Investigators examined the actions of the crew and the circumstances surrounding the taxi maneuver. The student pilot involved in the operation acknowledged seeing the fuel bowser prior to the collision but could not provide a reason for the failure to steer the aircraft away from the obstacle. The investigation also reviewed the instructor's management of the aircraft during the checklist completion process.