Incident
On June 8, 2008, at 11:05 UTC, a Cirrus SR22, registration OK-OKO, operated by Alpin Praha division of special works s.r.o., was involved in an incident during takeoff from Hořovice Airport. According to the pilot's testimony, he had performed a partial preflight inspection but was interrupted by a mobile phone call and did not complete the checks. He entered the aircraft, started the engine, and began taxiing at 11:00 UTC. During takeoff, the pilot heard an unusual noise from the nose landing gear area. He requested a visual check from the AFIS dispatcher, who reported no issues visible. The pilot completed a circuit and landed back at the airport. After landing, he inspected the aircraft and found damage to all three propeller blades. The pilot acknowledged that he had forgotten to remove the tow bar before flight.
Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft was a 2007 Cirrus SR22, serial number 2597, with a total flight time of 173:24 hours and 253 landings. It was equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors TCM IO-550N engine and a Hartzell PHC-P3YF-1RF/F7693DFB propeller. The tow bar, part of the aircraft's ground handling equipment, bore a clear inscription "REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT." The pilot, a 60-year-old male, held a valid CZ/CPL(A) license with ratings for SEP land, MEP land, FI(A), and IR(SE), and a valid medical certificate without restrictions. He had 936:17 total flight hours. The aircraft's last maintenance was a 100-hour/annual inspection on July 24, 2007, at 100:06 hours. The takeoff weight did not exceed the maximum of 1542 kg.
Investigation
The investigation, conducted by the Czech Accident Investigation Institute (ÚZPLN), determined that the pilot had interrupted and did not complete the preflight inspection as required by the Cirrus SR22 Pilot Operating Handbook. The pilot admitted his error in the pre-flight preparation. The tow bar was found damaged; only the attachment part remained, with other pieces not recovered. Fragments of the tow bar were found on and near the runway. The safety mechanism had been severed by the propeller blades, causing the tow bar to detach from the nose landing gear and fall onto the runway. The taxi distance to the takeoff point was approximately 300 meters. The surface was asphalt, concrete, and grass with no significant irregularities. No evidence of contact between the propeller and tow bar was found in the taxi area. Meteorological conditions were CAVOK. The pilot tested negative for alcohol.
Probable Cause
The incident was caused by contact between the propeller and the tow bar during takeoff. The tow bar had not been removed from the aircraft because the pilot did not complete the preflight preparation procedures.