What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Construction activities were underway at the airport. A NOTAM for the closure of asphalt rnwy 17/35 was issued 0800 6/30/14 till 10/31/14 AT1659. Construction cones had been placed across the taxi way at a point prior to where the taxiway terminates at a right angle to the runway. The pilot taxied from the hangar area on the taxi way towards the runway and, when confronted with the cones across his path, taxied off the taxi way on an angle to the right and through a moderately shallow borrow ditch. The angle of the path and depth of the ditch allowed for first the right prop to contact the FAR side of the ditch and then while continuing, the left prop to contact the near side of the ditch. Contact with the earth caused damage to all prop tips. During the pilot's initial taxi out and prior to the incident, the construction project engineer on site saw the aircraft and made several attempts to contact the pilot on the ground frequency, but to no response or avail. The contruction engineer later verified his radio was transmitting properly and on the correct frequency.
Pilot stated: he thought the runway closure was to start on July 1 and that was why he was repositioning the aircraft the day before. He proceeded down the taxiway, but did not see the construction cone barrier until he got closer to them. He did not have enough room to turn around on the taxiway so he thought he would veer off the taxiway to the right use the grass strip just to the right and parallel to the taxiway. The ditch banks were just steep enough to catch both props. He did not see the contruction worker in the truck that was coming up behind him to assist with the situation.
As the FAA filed it
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WERE UNDERWAY AT THE AIRPORT. A NOTAM FOR THE CLOSURE OF ASPHALT RNWY 17/35 WAS ISSUED 0800 6/30/14 TILL 10/31/14 AT1659. CONSTRUCTION CONES HAD BEEN PLACED ACROSS THE TAXI WAY AT A POINT PRIOR TO WHERE THE TAXIWAY TERMINATES AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT TAXIED FROM THE HANGAR AREA ON THE TAXI WAY TOWARDS THE RUNWAY AND, WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE CONES ACROSS HIS PATH, TAXIED OFF THE TAXI WAY ON AN ANGLE TO THE RIGHT AND THROUGH A MODERATELY SHALLOW BORROW DITCH. THE ANGLE OF THE PATH AND DEPTH OF THE DITCH ALLOWED FOR FIRST THE RIGHT PROP TO CONTACT THE FAR SIDE OF THE DITCH AND THEN WHILE CONTINUING, THE LEFT PROP TO CONTACT THE NEAR SIDE OF THE DITCH. CONTACT WITH THE EARTH CAUSED DAMAGE TO ALL PROP TIPS. DURING THE PILOT'S INITIAL TAXI OUT AND PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ENGINEER ON SITE SAW THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PILOT ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY, BUT TO NO RESPONSE OR AVAIL. THE CONTRUCTION ENGINEER LATER VERIFIED HIS RADIO WAS TRANSMITTING PROPERLY AND ON THE CORRECT FREQUENCY.
PILOT STATED: HE THOUGHT THE RUNWAY CLOSURE WAS TO START ON JULY 1 AND THAT WAS WHY HE WAS REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT THE DAY BEFORE. HE PROCEEDED DOWN THE TAXIWAY, BUT DID NOT SEE THE CONSTRUCTION CONE BARRIER UNTIL HE GOT CLOSER TO THEM. HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO TURN AROUND ON THE TAXIWAY SO HE THOUGHT HE WOULD VEER OFF THE TAXIWAY TO THE RIGHT USE THE GRASS STRIP JUST TO THE RIGHT AND PARALLEL TO THE TAXIWAY. THE DITCH BANKS WERE JUST STEEP ENOUGH TO CATCH BOTH PROPS. HE DID NOT SEE THE CONTRUCTION WORKER IN THE TRUCK THAT WAS COMING UP BEHIND HIM TO ASSIST WITH THE SITUATION.