Event
On 1 February 2004 at 16:25 UTC, a Robin DR 400-180 (registration F-GJZB), operated by a flying club, crashed during a local flight at Gujan-Mestras, Gironde, France. The accident occurred approximately 500 meters before the displaced threshold of paved runway 26 at Arcachon aerodrome. The pilot and front passenger died; the rear passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Robin DR 400-180 "Régent". The pilot, aged 78, held a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) obtained in 1996 and had accumulated 614 flight hours, with 400 hours on type and 4 hours in the preceding three months. His medical certificate, dated 30 September 2003, was valid for six months due to a restriction and required corrective lenses. An autopsy showed no pathological element affecting his capabilities, though a 1999 medical examination had indicated the onset of a cataract.
Accident Circumstances
The pilot departed at 15:57 for a local flight. At approximately 16:17, he entered the traffic circuit from the north for runway 26, reporting overhead and downwind left. He made regular position calls on the AFIS frequency. Several witnesses observed the aircraft significantly north of the runway centerline, descending over trees. The aircraft struck treetops, crashed onto a departmental road, rebounded, and came to rest inverted in a ditch. Engine examination revealed no pre-accident anomalies.
Testimonies
Two pilots on a taxiway saw the aircraft low and offset, heading toward the grass area between the access road and taxiway. They saw it hit treetops and pitch down. A driver near the intersection of the aerodrome road and departmental road saw the aircraft just above trees, bank sharply left, and hit trees with its left wing. The rear passenger reported that the pilot said "the runway is not there" and "he was too low". She also noted he applied power immediately before hitting trees. The pilot wore corrective lenses but no sunglasses. A club instructor noted that visibility for landing on runway 26 between 17:10 and 17:30 was often nil in January and February due to sun glare, and that a newly surfaced road shone brightly. Another witness near the runway threshold heard a louder-than-usual engine noise, saw the aircraft very low and not aligned, heard an initial impact, then a go-around attempt, followed by impacts with two trees and the crash.
Sun Position and Visibility
At the time of the accident, the sun was at azimuth 238° with an elevation of 6°41', setting at 17:12. During the long final approach, the sun was approximately 20° to the left of the runway axis and about 6° above the horizon. An evaluation flight conducted the next day under similar conditions found that the sun generated a glare on the Plexiglas canopy, severely reducing visibility; runway 26 was difficult to distinguish during base and final legs; the low sunlight highlighted the road much more than the runway; and sunglasses did not significantly improve visibility.
Conclusion
The accident resulted from the pilot's decision to continue a final approach without visual contact with the runway, leading to a runway identification error. Reduced visibility due to sun glare and the presence of a cataract prevented the pilot from detecting his mistake in time.