What happened
On 13 June 2019, a Robin DR400-160, registration F-HGCJ, was performing a cross-country flight involving several touch-and-go maneuvers. While attempting a touch-and-go on the paved runway 12 at Fontenay-Trésigny, the aircraft swerved to the right immediately upon the nose gear making contact with the ground. The pilot was unable to counteract this deviation, causing the aircraft to veer off the paved surface and onto an adjacent grass runway.
Rather than aborting the maneuver, the pilot attempted to continue the takeoff from the unpaved surface. During this attempt, the pilot encountered difficulties reconfiguring the aircraft's flaps. After applying full power, the pilot initiated a steep nose-up input to rotate the aircraft. While the maneuver allowed the plane to clear a nearby road, the aircraft subsequently struck a three-meter-high hedge. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and one minor injury to a passenger.
The investigation
The BEA examined the aircraft's nose gear to determine if a mechanical failure contributed to the initial swerve. While damage was found on the locking device, investigators could not confirm if the system was functional prior to the accident. The investigation also analyzed the available runway distances, noting that the remaining distance on the grass runway was insufficient to safely complete a takeoff at the aircraft's weight and environmental conditions. The investigators also reviewed the pilot's flight history and the meteorological conditions, which included a crosswind from the right.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident sequence:
- The pilot's decision to continue the takeoff after the initial runway excursion.
- An insufficient assessment of the crosswind component during the landing phase.
- The high level of stress and the "surprise effect" following the loss of directional control.
- A possible failure of the nose gear to unlock, which may have caused the initial swerve when the aircraft transitioned between runway surfaces.
- The lack of sufficient remaining runway length to reach takeoff speed and safely rotate the aircraft.