'Excessive speed' factor in plane leaving Dundee Airport taxiway

"Excessive" speed may have contributed to a private plane partially leaving a taxiway at Dundee Airport, a report has concluded.

The plane, which was carrying the pilot and a passenger, sustained damage to its landing gear during the incident.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the pilot may have also lost sight of the taxiway edge lights against the brightly-lit main apron.

No one was injured in the incident, which happened on 19 February.

The AAIB said the 59-year-old pilot was a regular visitor to the airport and had used the taxiway "on many occasions".

The report said that it was dark when the aircraft started to taxi at 17:34.

'Loud bang'

It said: "As the aircraft approached the main apron, the pilot described feeling that the aircraft went over a depression in the taxiway, followed by a loud bang, which he thought was one of the landing gear oleos (shock absorbers) bottoming out."

Air Traffic Control then called the pilot to say that they had heard a loud bang from the plane.

The report said: "A witness, who was familiar with both daytime and night aircraft operations on Taxiway E, observed the aircraft taxiing and stated that in his opinion, the aircraft's taxiing speed was excessive."

The report said that Dundee Airport has conducted an investigation into the incident.

As a result a taxi speed limit will be added to the warnings section of the airport's regulations and procedures manual.

The airport also plans to reduce the severity of the lip between the grass and the main apron surface at the point where Taxiway E joins the main apron.