What happened
On the afternoon of November 29, 2024, a Robin DR400-140B, registered F-GLDN, was conducting a flight for license revalidation at Lunéville - Croismare aerodrome. The crew, consisting of a pilot, an instructor, and a passenger, was performing a practice forced landing maneuver. Simultaneously, an Atec 122 Zephyr microlight, identified 44APT, was conducting a local flight and joined the aerodrome circuit.
As both aircraft were on final approach for the paved runway 09, they collided approximately 20 meters above the ground and 2/00 meters from the runway threshold. The collision caused the DR400-140B to stall and crash into a field of rubble located on the runway axis, resulting in the aeroplane being destroyed and the pilot suffering severe injuries. The instructor also sustained injuries. The microlight sustained substantial damage, including engine failure following the impact, but the pilot was able to perform an emergency landing on the adjacent grass runway.
The investigation
The BEA investigation examined GNSS data from both aircraft, security camera footage, and pilot statements. The investigation focused on the radio communications and the flight paths of both aircraft. It was established that the microlight pilot had mistakenly selected an incorrect radio frequency (125.5 MHz instead of the aerodrome's 123.5 MHz), which prevented his position reports from being heard by other aircraft in the circuit. Additionally, the investigation analyzed the visibility constraints caused by the steep approach angle of the DR400-140B during its forced landing exercise.