What happened
On February 1, 2004, a Robin DR 400-180 aircraft, registration F-GJZB, was performing a local flight at the Arcachon La Teste de Buch airfield. The pilot, accompanied by two passengers, had departed at 15:57 UTC. During the return to the airfield, the aircraft entered the traffic pattern for runway 26, following a standard sequence through the north, vertical, and left downwind legs.
As the aircraft transitioned to the final approach, the pilot failed to clearly identify the runway. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying significantly north of the runway centerline and descending into a line of trees. The left wing struck the treetops, causing the aircraft to lose stability. The pilot attempted a go-around, but the aircraft continued to descend, striking more trees before crashing onto a departmental road. The impact was violent; the engine and propeller struck the roadway with significant force, and the aircraft eventually came to rest in a roadside ditch. The accident resulted in two fatalities (the pilot and the front passenger) and one serious injury (the rear passenger).
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, the site, and the pilot's medical history. Technical analysis of the engine showed no mechanical anomalies prior to the impact, and the propeller deformation indicated the engine was producing power at the time of the crash.
Investigators evaluated the environmental conditions, noting that the sun was low on the horizon (approximately 6 degrees) and positioned to the left of the runway axis. A flight test conducted the following day under identical lighting conditions revealed that the sun created a significant halo on the Plexiglas canopy, obscuring the pilot's field of vision. Furthermore, the glare from the recently paved road made it difficult to distinguish the runway from the surrounding terrain. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's medical records, which noted the presence of early-stage cataracts, a condition that can increase sensitivity to glare.
Findings
- The primary cause was a late decision to execute a go-around during an approach where the runway had not been clearly identified.
- The pilot's failure to maintain the runway centerline was exacerbated by the difficulty of identifying the runway due to intense sunlight and glare.
- The pilot's age and the presence of cataracts likely contributed to reduced visual performance and increased sensitivity to sun glare.
- An increased workload, caused by the effort to identify ground references for altitude and position, contributed to the accident.
- A possible excess of confidence, stemming from the pilot's familiarity with the airfield, may have led to the decision to continue the approach despite the lack of visual contact with the runway.