What happened
On Sunday, December 6, 1998, at 09:40, a Cessna 150 M, registered F-BXNV, was performing a solo flight at the Libourne aerodrome. The pilot, a student with approximately 50 flight hours, had previously completed three circuit patterns under dual instruction earlier that morning.
During the landing sequence on runway 04, the aircraft bounced upon contact with the runway surface. Following this bounce, the aircraft ascended briefly before descending into a hard impact on the left side of the runway. The impact caused heavy damage to the aircraft and resulted in one injury to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the pilot's response to the bounce. The instructor, who had observed the student's progress during the dual instruction phase, noted that the student had been struggling to accurately judge altitude and execute the flare during the approach.
During post-accident statements, the pilot indicated that following the initial bounce, they had maintained a rigid grip on the control column and failed to take corrective action to stabilize the aircraft.