What happened
During a local training mission conducted for the Service de Formation Aéritonique & de Contrôle Technique (SFACT) at Saint-Yan Airport, an aircraft was performing a series of successful touch-and-go maneuvers. Following these maneuvers, the crew initiated a procedure to simulate an engine failure by decreasing power to the left engine.
As the aircraft was accelerating along runway 33R, the crew inadvertently retracted the flaps from 30° to the zero position before the takeoff roll was complete. This configuration change prevented the aircraft from achieving the necessary rotation. Consequently, the aircraft failed to lift off, continued down the runway, and overran the paved surface. The sequence ended when the aircraft struck an ILS antenna.
While the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss, both pilots managed to exit the wreckage with only minor injuries.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the unintentional retraction of the flaps from 30° to zero during the takeoff roll.
- The loss of lift caused by the flap setting prevented the aircraft from rotating and lifting off the runway.