What happened
On June 5, 2017, a student pilot was conducting a supervised solo flight at the Lognes-Emerainville aerodrome. This was only the pilot's second solo flight, following a 34-minute instructional flight earlier that day. The flight plan involved completing two circuit patterns with full landings on the paved runway 26.
During the first landing attempt, the aircraft touched down flat and bounced three times. The pilot elected to execute a go-around. Following this, the instructor, observing from the ground, suggested the pilot attempt a landing on the unpaved runway 26.
During the second landing attempt, the aircraft bounced again, prompting another go-around. During the initial climb following this second bounce, an air traffic controller observed that the nose wheel had detached from the landing gear and notified the pilot. While emergency services were being alerted, the instructor provided guidance from the control tower, advising the pilot to remain airborne for approximately 90 minutes to burn off fuel, thereby reducing the aircraft's weight for the final landing. Following the instructor's advice, the pilot shut down the engine on short final and maintained a nose-high attitude as long as possible. The Tecnam P2008, registration F-HOOT, came to a stop after pitching forward.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of landings and the mechanical failure of the nose gear. The pilot, who had approximately 24 flight hours and 78 dual-instruction landings, reported being distracted during the second approach by a fox positioned at the end of the runway, which caused fear of a collision. The investigators also examined the lack of wildlife management services at the Lognes aerodrome.
Findings
- The pilot failed to properly manage the flare during the first landing attempt, resulting in multiple bounces.
- The presence of an animal on the runway distracted the pilot during the second approach, contributing to the unstable landing.
- The instructor's decision-making support helped the pilot avoid a rushed landing and manage the technical failure safely.
- The aerodrome lacks specific services for managing wildlife hazards.