Incident Overview
On March 25, 2017, at 13:59 local time, a Robin DR400-180 "Régent" with registration F-GORD experienced a lateral runway excursion during the landing rollout at Aérodrome de Lognes Emerainville (77). The aircraft was operated by Aéroclub AGILE for a personal convenience local flight. The pilot and three passengers were on board. The aircraft sustained heavy damage after veering off the left side of the runway and striking a signage panel.
Flight Details and Conditions
The pilot departed Lognes for a local flight and returned approximately 25 minutes later to land on Runway 08, which measures 700 meters by 20 meters. The ATIS reported winds from 030° variable between 360° and 080° at 14 knots with gusts to 20 knots. However, the wind announced during landing clearance was 050° at 13 knots with gusts to 21 knots. Visibility was CAVOK.
Approach and Landing Dynamics
The pilot elected to increase the approach speed to 140 km/h in full flaps configuration to compensate for the reported winds. The flight manual specifies an approach speed of 125 km/h at the maximum takeoff mass of 1,100 kg. At the estimated accident mass of under 850 kg, the stall speed was approximately 85 km/h, making the chosen approach speed significantly higher than necessary.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft drifted to the left. The pilot reported that rudder inputs appeared ineffective. The plane exited the runway near an emergency taxiway and collided with a sign. It came to rest oriented at approximately heading 050°.
Contributing Factors
The BEA investigation identified "wheel barrowing" as a likely cause, exacerbated by excessive approach speed and full flap configuration. This phenomenon occurs when the nose wheel bears disproportionate weight, reducing braking efficiency and causing rapid pivoting in crosswinds. Additionally, the pilot had been instructed to push the control stick forward after landing to ensure the nose wheel was unlocked. This technique, while used at low speeds, is not recommended at higher velocities as it increases nose gear load and promotes wheel barrowing.