What happened
On August 3, 2016, a student pilot was performing her first solo flight at the Villefranche de Rouergue airfield. Following three successful circuits in dual instruction, the pilot intended to perform one or two touch-and-go maneuvers before completing a full landing. An instructor and two witnesses monitored the flight from the ground.
The first circuit proceeded normally, with the pilot communicating clearly via radio. However, during the landing on runway 31, the aircraft touched down on all three wheels and began to roll. Suddenly, the aircraft took on an excessive pitch-up attitude, lifting a few meters off the ground while the engine power was reduced. Upon the instructor's radio instruction to apply full power, the pilot increased thrust, but the aircraft tilted sharply to the left and drifted off course at low speed. The left wing struck a chestnut tree located near the airfield perimeter, causing the aircraft to strike the ground with a heavy nose-down attitude. The impact triggered a fire that destroyed the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that a 60 cm section of the left wing tip had been lodged in the tree. The main wreckage was located approximately 50 meters from the tree, near the airfield access road, and was almost entirely consumed by fire. The investigation confirmed that the flight control cables remained intact. Crucially, the pilot's seat was found locked in an intermediate position, ruling out a sudden rearward seat movement as the cause of the sudden pitch-up.
The pilot's training records showed she had approximately 50 flight hours and had completed about 280 takeoffs and landings in dual instruction. While her basic piloting skills were rated as proficient, her progress had been slow, and her ability to handle unexpected situations, such as bounced landings, had not been fully assessed. The instructor had authorized the solo flight after the pilot demonstrated competence in several areas, though the management of the flare was a skill being finalized just prior to the accident.
Findings
- The accident was caused by a sudden and excessive pitch-up attitude at the start of the landing roll, which led to an unintended takeoff.
- The subsequent deviation to the left was likely caused by engine torque effects resulting from the rapid application of power to correct the situation.
- The pilot's ability to maintain the flight path was compromised by the high pitch attitude, which made it difficult to detect the leftward drift, and by the stress of encountering an unexpected and sudden flight regime during her first solo.
- The aircraft struck a tree, leading to the impact and subsequent fire.