What happened
On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, a Robin DR 25 and 160, registered F-BMZO, was involved in a ground collision at the Nangis-les-Loges aerodrome. The pilot had recently completed a 25-minute local flight and had refueled the aircraft. Upon returning to the aircraft, the pilot attempted to start the engine to taxi toward the hangar but was initially unsuccessful.
To resolve the issue, the pilot decided to perform a manual engine start. The procedure involved engaging the parking brake, setting the magneto switches to the "both" position, and advancing the throttle by approximately one centimeter. After exiting the cockpit to hand-prop the propeller, the engine started immediately. Following the start, the aircraft began to move toward the left.
As the aircraft began to taxi, the pilot attempted to re-board by walking around the left wing. While attempting to step onto the wing, the pilot slipped and fell. The Robin DR 250-160 continued to move under its own power until it struck the doors of a hangar, causing heavy damage to both the aircraft and the building.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the manual start procedure and the physical state of the aircraft. Investigators examined the pilot's actions and the configuration of the aircraft during the engine start. It was established that while the pilot had engaged the parking brake, the wheel chocks, which were available within the aircraft, had not been positioned.
Findings
- The pilot failed to use the available wheel chocks during the manual engine start attempt.
- The primary cause of the accident was an incomplete engine start procedure.