What happened
On 18 April 1999, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-IBRO, was involved in a ground incident at Leicester Airport during a private training flight. Following the completion of a dual instruction session, the student pilot was taxiing the aircraft toward the standard parking area at a steady speed.
As the aircraft moved between a refueling station and several parked planes, the student pilot accidentally engaged the right brake, causing the aircraft to veer toward the right. Although the instructor attempted to halt the movement by applying both brakes, the aircraft's right wing tip collided with a refueling kiosk. Following the impact, the instructor shut down the engine and performed standard post-flight checks. An initial inspection of the wing tip suggested only minor surface damage.
The investigation
Upon reporting the incident to maintenance engineers, a more significant structural issue was identified. Detailed examination of the aircraft revealed that the right rear wing spar had failed at a point approximately 9 inches from the inboard wing attachment point.