What happened
On Wednesday, April 24, 2002, at 17:50, a Jodel D 19 amateur-built aircraft, registered F-PNRJ, was performing a training flight at the AD Vitry-en-Artois aerodrome. The flight was operated by a flying club and carried two occupants: an instructor and a student.
During the approach to runway 30, which is an unpaved strip measuring 900 by 100 meters, the instructor instructed the student to align with the right side of the runway to avoid numerous molehills present on the surface. While taxiing for takeoff, the aircraft's right wheel struck one of these molehills, causing a sharp noise and a physical jolt felt by the crew. The student proceeded to take off and completed a circuit of the airfield.
Upon returning for landing, the aircraft's right landing gear and subsequently the nose gear collapsed upon touchdown. The aircraft slid along the runway before coming to a halt approximately 250 meters from the point of impact. There were no fatalities or injuries reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading from the initial impact with a molehill during taxiing to the structural failure of the landing gear during the landing phase. Investigators examined the condition of the unpaved runway and the impact of the initial strike on the aircraft's landing gear integrity.