What happened
On July 9, 2013, a Socata TB 20 Trinidad, registration F-GTYE, was performing a flight from Granville Aerodrome to Le Havre and back. During the return leg to Granville, the pilot approached runway 07, estimating a left crosswind of approximately 10 knots. As the aircraft reached the final approach, the pilot noted an approach speed of 81 knots with flaps in the landing position and observed a drift of 8 to 10 degrees, confirming the presence of a crosswind.
During the flare, a wind gust caused the aircraft to lift unexpectedly. This resulted in a hard landing followed by two bounces. On the third touchdown, the aircraft veered sharply to the left, exiting the runway and coming to a stop approximately 30 meters from the runway edge. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
Technical examinations of the aircraft revealed that a component of the right main landing gear attachment had broken, causing the wheel to become misaligned. This mechanical failure led to the loss of lateral control. Evidence of propeller contact with the runway centerline was found, indicating the propeller struck the ground during the final touchdown. The investigation also determined that the nose gear strut had fully compressed, which caused the propeller to strike the surface.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an insufficient correction for a wind gust during the flare, which led to a hard landing.
- The failure of the right main landing gear attachment caused the aircraft to lose directional control on the ground.
- The pilot's limited experience as a commander contributed to the inadequate response to the wind gust.
- The pilot considered a go-around after the first bounce but decided to continue the landing due to low airspeed and the short runway length.