What happened
On 17 August 2020, a Piper PA3/9 Twin Comanche, registered N41FT, was performing a multi-engine class rating instruction flight at Castellet airport. The flight was operated by TOFINO, with a pilot in training, an instructor, and one passenger on board.
After completing several landings on runway 31, the crew lined up for a new runway circuit. During the takeoff roll, the instructor decided to abort the maneuver, believing the trainee pilot was struggling to maintain the centerline and was likely fatigued. However, the trainee pilot continued the takeoff. Upon rotation, the aircraft banked right and drifted away from the runway. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude and collided with the ground outside the airport perimeter, near a guardrail of the Paul Ricard circuit.
The investigation
The BEA reconstructed the flight path using security camera footage from the airport tower and the nearby racetrack, as well as data from the instructor's tablet. The analysis showed the aircraft lifted off approximately 350 meters after the runway threshold. After an initial right bank, the aircraft leveled off at a height of about 6 meters before descending to 1.5 meters and banking steeply to the right, eventually striking the ground at a ground speed of approximately 65 knots.
The investigation examined the wreckage and found no mechanical failures that could explain the accident. The engines were undamaged, and the propellers showed evidence of delivering power at the time of impact. The investigation also reviewed the cockpit environment, noting that the instructor had taken control of the aircraft during the takeoff roll, believing an engine had failed. The trainee pilot's statements indicated he was unaware of any request to abort the takeoff.
Findings
- The instructor's sudden intervention, driven by the incorrect hypothesis that an engine had failed, led to large-amplitude control inputs.
- The instructor was surprised by the aircraft's rotation, as he expected the takeoff to be aborted.
- The pilot in training was wearing unsuitable footwear (flip-flops), which may have contributed to difficulties in controlling the aircraft's path on the ground.
- The trainee pilot's failure to recognize the instructor's intent to abort the takeoff led to a mismatch in cockpit expectations.
Safety action
Following the accident, the Castellet airport operator addressed a lack of specialized rescue tools by supplying the airport fire fighters with suitable extraction equipment in June 2021.