What happened
On August 29, 2017, at approximately 09:40 local time, a Cap 10 aircraft, registered HB-SAW, was involved in a ground collision at the Geneva Airport (LSGG) aero-club parking area. The aircraft, operated by Aéro-Club de Genève, was being prepared for a supervised aerobatic flight. During the engine start sequence, the aircraft began to move and subsequently struck the fuel station's pumping column.
While the pilot sustained minor injuries, the passenger remained uninjured. The collision resulted in light damage to the aircraft and caused damage to the fuel station facilities.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the movement of the aircraft during the start-up phase. The inquiry focused on the cockpit configuration and the pilot's interaction with the flight controls at the moment the engine was started.
Findings
way The investigation established that the pilot was qualified to operate the Cap 10 type. The primary cause of the incident was that the pilot's feet were not positioned on the brake controls located on the sides of the rudder pedals. Because the brakes were not applied, the pilot was unable to prevent the aircraft from moving forward into the fuel station infrastructure after the engine was started.