History of the Flight
On 19 July 2003, a Piper PA38-112 Tomahawk, registration HB-PGU, operated by Maximair AG, was being flown by a student pilot for his first solo circuits. The aircraft had completed several circuits on runway 07 with an instructor. At approximately 14:34 UTC, the student pilot requested taxi clearance for local solo circuits. The air traffic controller (ATC) was coordinating a runway change from 07 to 25 due to wind conditions and instructed the Piper to hold.
Meanwhile, a Cessna C172 P, registration HB-CJM, returning from Neuenburg, landed on runway 07 at 14:35 UTC. On board were the pilot and a passenger. ATC instructed the Cessna to vacate the runway and taxi to parking stand No. 13 on taxiway ECHO. Due to limited space on stand No. 13 and a parked motorglider on stand No. 12, the Cessna could not be fully parked clear of the taxiway. Its tail protruded into taxiway ECHO.
At 14:36 UTC, ATC cleared HB-PGU to taxi to the holding point for runway 25. The student pilot taxied along the yellow centerline at approximately 1000 RPM, noting parked aircraft to the north. The Cessna's pilot assisted his passenger in disembarking and began maneuvering the aircraft into its final parking position by depressing the tail to lift the nosewheel and turning counterclockwise. The passenger moved toward the tail to help. The pilot warned the passenger about the approaching Piper, assuming the warning was understood.
As the Piper approached, the student pilot saw the maneuvering Cessna and suddenly the passenger appeared from behind the tail. The student pilot attempted to avoid a collision by turning right, but the left wing of HB-PGU struck the passenger. The passenger fell to the ground on the grass area between stand No. 13 and taxiway ECHO. The two aircraft did not contact each other.
The student pilot stopped the Piper on the grass and requested assistance via radio at approximately 14:38 UTC. Two flight instructors arrived and asked ATC to alert an ambulance. The ambulance arrived before the police and transported the seriously injured passenger to the regional hospital in Grenchen at 15:45 UTC.
Injuries to Persons
The passenger sustained internal injuries requiring hospitalization for five days.
Damage to Aircraft
HB-PGU sustained light damage, consisting of scratches on the left wingtip. HB-CJM was not damaged.
Cause
The accident was due to a collision between the left wing of the taxiing aircraft HB-PGU and the passenger who had disembarked from aircraft HB-CJM; the passenger was in the area of taxiway ECHO.