What happened
On 13 December 2020, a Beechcraft 95 (registration F-BRAK) was conducting a cross-country IFR flight from Brive-Souillac to Toussus-le-Noble. The flight, operated by Baron Fly, was carrying a pilot and one passenger.
During the approach, the pilot encountered difficulties intercepting the localizer and glide slope due to unstable instrument indications on the HSI. At approximately 17:50, the approach controller noted the aircraft was not aligned with the path and provided new vectors. Despite the controller suggesting a go-around when the glide slope was lost, the pilot elected to continue the approach, later reporting that the signal had stabilized.
As the aircraft approached the runway in darkness and light rain, the pilot experienced significant glare from the runway lighting. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot transitioned to the final flap detent position while over the runway threshold. This resulted in a hard touchdown on runway 25R. The aircraft bounced twice, causing the nose gear to collapse and the aircraft to come to a stop near the right edge of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's flight path, meteorological conditions, and the pilot's actions. Investigators looked into the cause of the unstable ILS indications, noting the pilot's hypothesis regarding potential interference from mobile phones on board. The investigation also reviewed the cockpit configuration changes and the intensity of the runway lighting at the time of the accident.