What happened
On Tuesday, June 25, 2002, at 15:30, a Centrair 20B glider, registration F-CBLM, was performing an initiation flight at the Cahors aerodrome. During the third flight of the session, the pilot attempted to execute a short landing to minimize the time required to return the aircraft to the airfield.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the pilot maintained a slightly low airspeed. The flare maneuver was performed too high with an excessively high pitch attitude. Consequently, the rear skid made contact with the runway, causing the glider to pitch forward rapidly. The landing gear then struck the runway surface, resulting in the rear part of the fuselage breaking behind the cockpit.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight parameters during the final approach and the pilot's decision-making regarding the landing distance. Investigators examined the aircraft's flight path and the pilot's inputs during the flare maneuver. The investigation established that the pilot's intent to achieve a short landing led to a flight profile that was not suitable for the prevailing conditions.
Findings
- The pilot utilized inappropriate control inputs during the landing phase.
- There was an excessive consideration of operational constraints, specifically the desire to shorten the turnaround time.
- The final approach was executed under marginal conditions to facilitate a quick turnaround.