The pilot reported that, after taxiing to the ramp at the airport in Gila Bend, Arizona, he set the parking brake.
He added that when he released the foot brake, the Diamond DA-40 rolled forward, and hit a pole.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
The flight safety officer reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that, after the accident, he verified proper operation of the parking brake.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly set the parking brake, which resulted in an impact with a pole.
NTSB Identification: GAA18CA189
This March 2018 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
There are those people who should not be around aircraft!!!
Obvious info that was not included in the article. How far from the pole did he park? When he “released the foot brake, the DA-40 rolled forward and hit a pole”. Why did he not reapply the foot brake when he started rolling?
Surely there’s more to the story…surely!
So this guy parks his aircraft in front of a pole.! What was he thinking ? And what was he going to do when he wants to leave ?… Push the aircraft back and turn it. ?
More stupid pilots.!
No..he would use slew mode to get the airplane away from the pole..