What happened
On April 10, 2006, a Reims Aviation F 152, registration F-GDIP, was performing a supervised solo training flight at Angoulême aerodrome. During the flight, the student pilot was conducting local circuits when an AFIS officer informed him that the runway was occupied, instructing him to go to the downwind leg. During this maneuver, the pilot encountered heavy rain and reduced visibility.
As the pilot prepared for the final approach, the AFIS officer reported a wind direction of 330° at 14 knots with a tailwind component. The pilot stabilized the airspeed at 75 mph and configured the flaps to 20 degrees. Due to his proximity to the ground, the pilot initiated a rapid flare. This resulted in a hard touchdown and an initial bounce. In a reflexive response, the pilot pushed the control column forward, causing the aircraft to touch the runway a second time in a nose-down attitude. Following a subsequent bounce, the aircraft landed again, but the landing gear collapsed. While attempting to brake, the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway and overturned.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the meteorological conditions, and the decision-making process of the flight instructor. The investigation established that the instructor was monitoring the flight from the aero club via radio. While the instructor observed the bounce and immediately instructed the student to execute a go-around, the student did not hear the instruction. The investigation also reviewed the AFIS officer's decision to maintain the landing direction despite the variable wind and the presence of a tailwind component.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the decision to allow a student pilot to perform a solo flight under unfavorable meteorological conditions.
- The aircraft's landing gear was not rated for the specific wind conditions encountered, as the maximum demonstrated crosswind limit for this model is 12 knots, and the wind was reported with a significant tailwind component.
- The student pilot's rapid flare maneuver contributed to the initial hard impact and subsequent bounces.
- The instructor's instruction to go-around was not received by the student pilot during the first bounce.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage during the rollover.