What happened
On October 12, 2014, a Reims-Cessna F152, registration F-GCHB, was conducting a local flight from the Arcachon La-Teste-de-Buch aerodrome. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and one passenger, departed on runway 25 (paved) for a flight over the Bassin d’Arcachon.
Upon returning to the aerodrome, the pilot transitioned to a long final for runway 25 (unpaved). During the landing sequence, the aircraft's main gear made contact with the runway before the threshold. The aircraft then bounced, and upon the second contact, the nose gear struck the ground first. This impact caused the nose gear to break, forcing the aircraft to settle onto its nose. The aircraft traveled approximately 15 meters along the runway before coming to a complete stop. There were no fatalities or injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the meteorological conditions, the pilot's preparation, and the aircraft's configuration. At the time of the accident, winds were recorded from 170° at 10 knots, with gusts up to 20 knots. While the pilot had received information from AFIS regarding a wind of 210° at 15 knots with gusts of 23 knots, the pilot admitted to not consulting available meteorological reports prior to the flight.
To mitigate the effects of the crosswind, the pilot chose to land on the unpaved runway, believing the grass surface would be easier to manage. The pilot increased the approach speed by 5 knots and set the flaps to a 10° to 20° position. The investigation also noted that the local terrain, characterized by nearby pine forests, can create wind shear or downdrafts near the threshold of the unpaved runway.
Findings
- The pilot's flight preparation was incomplete, which prevented the anticipation of turbulence encountered during the return leg.
- This lack of preparation led to an unstabilized approach during the short final phase.
- The pilot was unable to recover the flight path quickly enough following the initial contact, leading to the bounce and subsequent nose gear failure.
- The specific flap configuration chosen by the pilot may have contributed to the loss of control during the landing phase.