Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-34-200T, registration G-BOUL, manufactured in 1976. It was powered by two Continental LTSIO-360-E piston engines. The flight was a commercial training operation at Oxford Airport on 1 February 1999 at 0855 UTC. The commander, aged 37, held a Commercial Pilot's Licence with an Instrument Rating and had 2,100 total flying hours, including 450 hours on type. There were two crew members and one passenger on board.
The Incident
Due to poor visibility, the decision was made to practice rejected takeoffs on the runway before decision speed. After completing the exercise, the aircraft vacated the runway and was taxiing. The instructor was performing pre-shutdown checks while one of the students was handling the aircraft. The instructor's attention was inside the cockpit, resetting the flying control trims, when the aircraft struck a fuel bowser parked on the taxiway. The student pilot later admitted seeing the bowser but could offer no explanation for failing to avoid it.
Damage and Injuries
The left wing of the aircraft sustained substantial damage. No injuries were reported among the occupants.
Considered Cause
The instructor considered that the cause of the incident was his decision to allow the student to maintain control of the aircraft while his attention was distracted by the completion of the check list.