What happened
On 29 March 2019, a Cessna F172M, registered F-BUEQ, was conducting a cross-country flight from Vitry-le-François Vauclerc to Semur-en-Auxelois. The flight, operated by François 1er aero club, included the pilot and two passengers. Upon arriving at the destination, the pilot performed an initial overflight to assess wind conditions via the windsock before joining the circuit for the paved runway 22.
During the first approach, the pilot determined the aircraft was too high on the glide slope and initiated a go-around. On the subsequent approach, as the aircraft reached a height of approximately one meter, it suddenly veered to the right. The pilot applied full power to continue the go-around but was unable to maintain control. The aircraft's wing struck the grass runway, and the nose gear impacted the soft ground, causing it to collapse. The impact resulted in three slight injuries and severe damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's handling of the aircraft during the critical transition from landing to go-around. Investigators examined the aircraft's flight manual, which specifies that during a go-around, flaps should be raised to 20° before being fully retracted once a speed of at least 92 km/h is reached. The investigation also reviewed meteorological data, which indicated a sudden change in wind direction occurred around the time of the accident.
Furthermore, the pilot's experience was evaluated. While the pilot held a PPL(A), he had only been released on the Cessna F172M one week prior to the accident, with only 4 hours of flight time on this specific type and 2.5 hours as pilot-in-command.