What happened
On December 26, 2024, a Tecnam P2008 JC, registration F-HXLG, was performing a local flight from Lyon-Brindas aerodrome. The aircraft, operated by Aéroclub Ouest Lyonnais, was carrying a pilot and one passenger. During the takeoff roll on the unpaved runway, the pilot experienced two significant jolts halfway down the strip. As the aircraft approached the end of the runway, the speed was approximately 40 knots, which was below the required rotation speed of 48 knots.
Upon reaching the end of the runway, the pilot attempted to rotate the aircraft, but it failed to lift off. The pilot then reduced engine power and applied the brakes, but the aircraft overran the runway, crossed a road approximately 50 meters beyond the threshold, and collided with a small wall. The impact caused a fire to break out. Both occupants successfully evacuated the aircraft without injury, though the aeroplane was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the runway conditions and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigators established that the unpaved runway was waterlogged and muddy in several areas following heavy rainfall in the preceding days. While the pilot had inspected the first half of the runway and noted the grass height, he had not sufficiently accounted for the deteriorating conditions in the second half of the strip.
Evidence showed that the flying club had issued warnings regarding slippery runway conditions via email and website notices. Furthermore, the club had a recommended procedure for rejecting takeoffs based on speed checks at the runway midpoint, but the pilot did not execute a rejection when the aircraft failed to accelerate sufficiently. The investigation also examined the pilot's takeoff briefing and his lack of experience in managing rejected takeoff scenarios.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the insufficient acceleration during the takeoff run due to the wet and muddy state of the runway surface.
- The pilot failed to reject the takeoff despite the aircraft not reaching the necessary speed, a decision influenced by a "tunnel effect" and a lack of experience with abnormal takeoff scenarios.
- The pilot's assessment of the runway conditions was inadequate, as he focused on the first half of the runway and did not anticipate the hazards present in the second half.
- The aircraft's performance calculations, while including a 10% margin for grass, did not sufficiently account for the specific impact of the waterlogged surface.