Biggin Hill Airport Incident: Aircraft Spun by Jet Efflux
A Piper J3C-65 was damaged at Biggin Hill Airport due to jet blast from a Bombardier Global 6000, highlighting safety concerns.
Biggin Hill, London, UK, Piper J3C-65, Bombardier Global 6000, Jet Blast
London: On June 26, 2024, a Piper J3C-65 ‘Cub’ got damaged at Biggin Hill Airport. It happened when the aircraft faced the jet blast from a Bombardier Global 6000.
The report released this week sheds light on the incident. It emphasizes how crucial it is to position aircraft correctly to avoid these kinds of mishaps.
The Cub was taxiing along Taxiway L when it was caught off guard by the jet’s power. The Global 6000 was parked nearby with its engines running, and the pilot of the Cub said it was “aggressively” spun around.
This sudden movement caused the left wingtip to hit the ground several times. The pilot quickly declared an emergency, turned off the engine, and got help to move the aircraft to safety.
The investigation pointed out that the Global 6000 wasn’t parked right according to the yellow markings meant to direct the jet blast away from the taxiway.
To make matters worse, the crew of the Global 6000 was testing a wing anti-ice system, which increases engine thrust and can make the jet blast even stronger.
In light of this incident, the maintenance team responsible for the apron has taken steps to remind everyone about the importance of aligning aircraft with the ground markings before starting engines.
The report highlights that proper positioning and awareness of active engines are key to preventing such incidents in the future.
It concluded that the accident happened because the Global 6000 was parked incorrectly for engine start. If the pilots had been aware of the risks, they could have coordinated better over the radio to avoid the situation.
The maintenance organization has shared this event with its team to raise awareness and stress the importance of following the ground markings before starting engines.