What happened
On July 7, 2013, a Cessna 172S, registration F-GCBY, was engaged in a recreational cross-country flight from Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole to Ile d’Yeu. After a stop for refueling, the aircraft departed for its return leg. During the approach to Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole, the pilot entered the traffic pattern on a tailwind component for runway 29R(2).
Approaching at approximately 70 knots—exceeding the recommended 65-knot approach speed for full flaps—the pilot maintained a steep descent angle due to trees located before the runway threshold. During the flare, the aircraft climbed away from the runway. The pilot attempted a second flare, which caused the aircraft to rise even higher. Following a second attempt to settle the aircraft, a hard landing occurred, resulting in the failure of the nose gear and significant damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA examined the pilot's experience and the flight conditions. At the time of the accident, the pilot had 97 total flight hours, with only 27 hours as pilot-in-command. This was only the pilot's second flight carrying a passenger. The investigation noted that the pilot had been flying for over five hours that day, including several takeoffs and landings.
Meteorological data indicated winds from approximately 030° to 050° at 9 to 10 knots. The pilot reported that he chose not to execute a go-around because he was concerned about a potential collision with a vehicle on a nearby highway located just past the runway end. Additionally, the pilot did not perform a reconnaissance of the signal area because other aircraft were already in the circuit.
Findings
- The aircraft possessed excess energy during the landing phase due to a combination of a steep descent angle, an approach speed higher than recommended, and a tailwind component.
- The excess energy caused the aircraft to lift off the runway during the initial flare.
- The pilot's decision to continue the landing rather than performing a go-around may have been influenced by the perceived risk of hitting a vehicle on the adjacent highway.
- Potential fatigue from a long flight, which was longer than the pilot's typical flight duration, may have degraded decision-making and performance.
Safety action
Following the accident and recent similar incidents, the aero club implemented several safety measures:
- Instruction now emphasizes that go-arounds should be preferred over attempting to correct unstable approaches or "touch-and-go" style corrections.
- Increased focus has been placed on stabilization criteria, specifically maintaining the correct approach speed.
- A safety management system, including a digital feedback tool, has been established to improve operational experience sharing.