Some years ago, a couple of my instructors went over to the maintenance aerodrome, so that one could pick up an aircraft after a 50 hr service....
Despite being warned by his colleague, the PIC hit a fence post with the wing tip whilst trying to turn round. His colleague suggested that they should leave the aircraft at the maintenance aerodrome and fly the other one back. But no, the PIC decided to fly back to our home aerodrome, whereupon he told me "I've had a bit of a bump"...
I went to look at the aircraft and immediately grounded it. Then we had to arrange for the maintenance people to drive over and check that it was OK to fly it, so I could fly it over to the maintenance aerodrome to have it repaired.
It was pronounced safe, so I flew it over and did a low speed handling check on the way - to find a slight wing drop at the stall. Handy to know that as the maintenance aerodrome had rather a short RW. I then waited whilst they repaired it, but we decided to leave the repair in primer until the next 50 hr was due.
A completely avoidable taxying incident. But even worse was the fact that the FI couldn't accept that his decision to fly it back was unsound. Plus it cost us 2 x road journeys for the maintainers, 2 x transit flights to take it over for repair - and I had to hang around for a few hours so wasted my own time.
We docked the price of the repairs and the maintainers' road mileage from the FIs pay, but waived the 2 transit flight costs. Had he just left it at the maintenance aerodrome in the first place, I'd have been more lenient. But his stupid decision and pig-headed reluctance to learn from the error of his ways didn't impress me. I was very close to advising him that we no longer required his services.... But I was conscious of the fact that he had no other regular source of income.
I also made him read that Robin / haybale accident to which reference was made earlier.
Before it may be flown, an aircraft must be checked by licensed maintenance personnel following even the slightest ground collision.
Last edited by BEagle; 20th May 2012 at 18:50.