What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/30/2022, at approx. 19:00Z, at the Ocean Reef Club Airport (07FA), Key Largo, FL., a CE-525 aircraft struck a tree while back taxing runway 5 into a parking spot located on privacy data omitted ramp and sustained minor damage. A ramp agent directed the CE-525 aircraft to make a 180 degree left turn into the parking spot that was located next to a parked aircraft. According to the PIC, when the CE-525 aircraft was halfway through the 180 degree turn, the right wing tip struck a tree that was located about 3 feet from the ramp’s surface. During the turn, both crewmembers were heads up and focused on the ramp agent and the parked aircraft; neither crewmember saw their CE-525 aircraft encroaching on a group of four (4) trees as they made the turn. Upon impact, the crew completed the shutdown checklist and evacuated the four (4) passengers. The crew evaluated the aircraft for spills and found no safety issues. The occupants of CE-525 aircraft consisted of two (2) crewmembers and four (4) passengers, which reported no injuries.
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the right hand (r/h), outboard, leading edge (l.e.) of the wing, r/h l.e. rib, and l.e. of the r/h wingtip. Approximately sixteen (16) inches in length of l.e. damage. Temporary repairs were made by an A&P w/i.a. to obtain special flight permit.
The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 135, on demand operations. The weather at the time of the incident was visual meteorological conditions.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/30/2022, AT APPROX. 19:00Z, AT THE OCEAN REEF CLUB AIRPORT (07FA), KEY LARGO, FL., A CE-525 AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WHILE BACK TAXING RUNWAY 5 INTO A PARKING SPOT LOCATED ON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RAMP AND SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. A RAMP AGENT DIRECTED THE CE-525 AIRCRAFT TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN INTO THE PARKING SPOT THAT WAS LOCATED NEXT TO A PARKED AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, WHEN THE CE-525 AIRCRAFT WAS HALFWAY THROUGH THE 180 DEGREE TURN, THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK A TREE THAT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 3 FEET FROM THE RAMP’S SURFACE. DURING THE TURN, BOTH CREWMEMBERS WERE HEADS UP AND FOCUSED ON THE RAMP AGENT AND THE PARKED AIRCRAFT; NEITHER CREWMEMBER SAW THEIR CE-525 AIRCRAFT ENCROACHING ON A GROUP OF FOUR (4) TREES AS THEY MADE THE TURN. UPON IMPACT, THE CREW COMPLETED THE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST AND EVACUATED THE FOUR (4) PASSENGERS. THE CREW EVALUATED THE AIRCRAFT FOR SPILLS AND FOUND NO SAFETY ISSUES. THE OCCUPANTS OF CE-525 AIRCRAFT CONSISTED OF TWO (2) CREWMEMBERS AND FOUR (4) PASSENGERS, WHICH REPORTED NO INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HAND (R/H), OUTBOARD, LEADING EDGE (L.E.) OF THE WING, R/H L.E. RIB, AND L.E. OF THE R/H WINGTIP. APPROXIMATELY SIXTEEN (16) INCHES IN LENGTH OF L.E. DAMAGE. TEMPORARY REPAIRS WERE MADE BY AN A&P W/I.A. TO OBTAIN SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 135, ON DEMAND OPERATIONS. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.