What happened
On June 18, 2017, a Jodel DR221, registration F-BPCK, was preparing for a flight from the private airfield at Pressignac-Vicq-Rebeyrotte to Étampes. The aircraft was carrying a pilot, two passengers, and a dog. The flight was intended to be a general aviation trip with a planned refueling stop.
During the takeoff roll on runway 01, the aircraft initially climbed a slight incline before entering a descent. During this phase, the pilot observed insufficient acceleration and indicated airspeed, noting that the aircraft was experiencing several bounces. Consequently, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. After braking for approximately 40 meters, the aircraft exited the runway longitudinally. The aircraft then struck a perimeter fence alongside a dirt track and passed near a utility pole located about ten meters from the runway.
The investigation
The investigation examined the airfield characteristics and the aircraft's performance. The runway at Pressignac-Vicq-Rebeyrotte is an unpaved strip measuring 800 by 35 meters, featuring an uphill slope for the first 100 meters followed by a downhill gradient averaging 4%. The investigation noted that the downward slope at the end of the runway is not visible from the top of the incline, which may lead pilots to misjudge the remaining runway length.
At the time of the accident, the weather was clear with visibility exceeding 10 km, light winds, a temperature of 32°C, and a QNH of 1014 hPa. While the takeoff distance for a Jodel DR221 at maximum takeoff weight (840 kg) on a level, grass runway is estimated between 800 and 850 meters, the investigation considered how the specific runway gradient and grass conditions might influence performance. The pilot had performed weight and balance calculations prior to the flight.