What happened
On the morning of October 26, 2024, a Robin DR400-160, registration F-GREP, was attempting a cross-country departure from the Pérouges - Meximieux aerodrome. The aircraft, operated by Aéroclub de Pérouges Plaine de l’Ain, was carrying a pilot and three passengers.
During the takeoff roll on the unpaved runway, the pilot applied takeoff power and reached a speed of 105 km/h. Upon attempting to rotate, the aircraft experienced intense vibrations and an extreme nose-up attitude. The aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude, instead bouncing several times on the runway. As the end of the runway approached, the pilot did not abort the takeoff, believing a ditch was located beyond the threshold. The aircraft veered left, overran the runway, and crossed a perimeter fence. After traveling through a harvested field and striking a large stone, the aircraft deviated to the right, causing the nose landing gear to collapse.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's configuration and the site of the accident. Investigators found that the elevator trim was set to a nose-up position that was outside the recommended range for takeoff. While the engine showed no mechanical anomalies and was delivering power at the time of the impact, the aircraft's center of gravity was at the aft limit of the permitted envelope.
Physical evidence at the runway showed that the main landing gear made contact with the ground during the deviation, and the tail skid had struck the runway surface. The investigation also noted that the pilot's mental model of the airfield was inaccurate, as he was attempting to avoid a ditch that had been filled in two weeks prior to the accident.