Fatal Crash of a Robin DR400-120 at Arcachon - La Teste-de-Buch (F-GIKZ)

Accident Overview and Immediate Consequences<br>On 12 September 2020, around 14:30 local time, a Robin DR400-120 registered F-GIKZ, operated by the Aéroclub du Bassin d’Arcachon, crashed shortly after takeoff from Arcachon - La Teste-de-Buch airport in Gironde, France. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers. All four individuals were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by a post-impact fire.<br><br>## Flight History and Loss of Control<br>According to the French BEA, the pilot informed the AFIS officer that he was entering runway 07 without backtracking. Wheel lift-off occurred approximately 500 meters after alignment at an indicated airspeed of 110 km/h. During the initial climb, the aircraft reached a height of about 60 feet while its speed decreased to around 100 km/h. The stall warning sounded intermittently, and the flight path was asymmetrical. The pilot transmitted a MAYDAY call before the aircraft collided with trees and then the ground on a private property.<br><br>## Wreckage and Engine Examination<br>The wreckage was found in a wooded area near the airport, having struck the top of a 12-meter-tall tree and coming to rest in a ditch. The examination indicated the aircraft likely hit the ground with a nose-down attitude on a downward slope. The engine was removed for detailed inspection, and no failure that could explain a loss of power was observed. The flight control linkages were continuous before impact, but the positions of the elevator trim and flaps could not be determined.<br><br>## Operational Context and Pilot Background<br>The flight was a private donation by the pilot to a non-profit bikers association, carrying two sisters and their father. The flying club was not informed of the specific context, and the pilot was not on the list of pilots authorized to perform introductory flights. The 43-year-old pilot held a Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) and had logged around 180 flight hours. He was used to flying with passengers and met the regulatory requirements to carry passengers on the day of the accident.<br><br>## Aircraft and Meteorological Conditions<br>The DR400/120 was equipped with a 120 hp Lycoming engine and a high-pitch propeller. It was certified to carry four people with a maximum takeoff weight of 900 kg. Instructors at the flying club had advised against carrying four adults on board this specific aircraft. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were clear with a temperature of 28.4°C, a wind from 360° of 4 knots, and a QNH of 1,021 hPa.