Accident to the Beech C18S registered HB-GAC and the Robin DR400 registered F-GPHL on 21/05/2022 at Béziers

When the pilot of HB-GAC started taxiing to holding point A, he was aware of a DR400 at this holding point. He then lost sight of it while taxiing. When he turned on the taxiway, he saw a DR400 take off and thought it was this aeroplane. At the end of the turn, he did not have the holding point in sight due to the low forward visibility from inside the cockpit and did not make sure that the taxiway was clear by continuing the turn to look at the holding point from the left side of the aeroplane. Given the position of the DR400 registered F-GBUJ on the runway, there was no need to provide traffic information about this aeroplane and it is possible that the pilot of HB-GAC had a level of understanding of the French language which did not allow him to follow communications in French, and may have degraded his situational awareness. The propeller of HB-GAC severed the rear of the DR400 still at the holding point. The pilot braked quickly, limiting the consequences of the collision.