What happened
On 30 September 2007, a Reims Cessna F182Q Skylane, registration G-BHIB, was involved in a ground accident at Peterlee Airfield, County Durham. The flight was being conducted as a private operation with one pilot and one passenger on board.
Following the completion of the flight, the pilot taxied the aircraft along the tarmac taxiway. Upon reaching the entrance to the grass parking area, the pilot found the path obstructed by another aircraft. In an attempt to bypass the obstruction, the pilot steered the aircraft across an unmarked section of soft ground to take a shortcut into the parking area. During this maneuver, the nose of the aircraft dipped into the soft surface, causing the propeller to strike a large brick that had been hidden by long grass. There were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the taxiing maneuver and the physical impact between the propeller and the object in the grass. The inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller tips and indicated that the engine may have been subjected to a shock-load.