History of the Flight
On 20 April 2022, at approximately 15:40 local time, a Jodel D140 registered F-BLKK, operated by Aérocime, departed from runway 33 at Megève mountain airfield for a sightseeing flight over the Mont Blanc region. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and four passengers. After the flight, the pilot performed a landing on runway 15. During the landing roll, the aircraft deviated to the right. The pilot attempted to correct with left rudder input but was unable to counter the swerve. The aircraft then entered a ground loop and veered off the runway. The left landing gear collapsed, and the left wing lower surface contacted the ground. The aircraft came to a stop adjacent to the runway.
Aircraft and Personnel Information
The aircraft was a Jodel D140, a low-wing aeroplane with conventional landing gear, equipped with skis that were retracted for landing. The operator, Aérocime, is a commercial air transport company based at Megève, holding an Air Operator Certificate for daytime visual flight rules round-trip sightseeing flights. The fleet consisted of three Jodel D140 aircraft.
The pilot, aged 24, was an employee of Aérocime. He held a Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes), a mountain “wheel” rating (issued October 2021), an access authorization to Megève on skis (November 2021), single- and multi-engine instrument ratings, and a Flight Instructor rating (September 2020). He had logged approximately 800 total flight hours, including 150 hours on the D140, with 290 takeoffs and landings at Megève in the previous three months. He completed initial company training in February 2021, flight training in June and July 2021, and recurrent training and proficiency checks in November and December 2021.
The aircraft’s weight and balance were within the permitted flight envelope as per the Operations Manual, with four passengers and fuel in the front tank.
Meteorological Information
The pilot reported that when overflying the airfield before joining the circuit, the wind was northerly at 5 to 10 knots, and visibility was greater than 10 km. The landing on runway 15 was therefore conducted with a tailwind component.
Examination of the Site and Aircraft
Friction marks on the runway indicated that the swerve began shortly after touchdown. The left landing gear strut folded under the aircraft and was partially torn off. The lower surface of the left wing rubbed against the ground.
Pilot’s Statement
The pilot stated that the flight and landing were normal until the swerve occurred. He indicated that he could not counter the deviation with the rudder pedals and did not rule out a possible gust of wind as a contributing factor.
Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the pilot landed with a tailwind on runway 15 at Megève mountain airfield. During the landing run, the aircraft deviated to the right, and the pilot’s left rudder input was insufficient to correct the swerve. This led to a ground loop and runway excursion. No probable cause was assigned.