What happened
On Friday, September 14, 2012, at approximately 13:45 local time, a Robin DR400-160, registration F-GRMR, was performing a flight from Bordeaux Saucats to Figari, with a planned refueling stop at Cuers Pierrefeu. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and three passengers.
During the final approach to runway 29, the pilot experienced light turbulence and increased the approach speed by 10 km/h. Upon touchdown, the aircraft struck the runway with significant force and immediately veered to the right. Despite the pilot applying heavy braking, the aircraft exited the runway to the right. During the excursion, the aircraft sustained a heavy impact to the right main landing gear, causing the plane to tilt. The incident resulted in damage to the right wing and right main landing gear, but no injuries were reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's approach technique and the physical evidence left on the runway. The pilot, who had 91 total flight hours with approximately 10 hours on this specific type, noted that he was accustomed to flying on much narrower paved runways. He reported being surprised by the width of the runway at Cuers, which he perceived as being very large.
During the flare, the pilot noted that the aircraft's pitch attitude seemed too high, though the stall warning did not activate. While the pilot stated he applied symmetrical rudder inputs, physical evidence on the runway showed a single braking skid on the right side, located within the turn toward the runway exit. An indentation was also found at the edge of the runway.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an erroneous assessment of the flare height, characterized by an excessive pitch-up attitude that resulted in a hard landing.
- The pilot likely experienced a visual illusion caused by the unusual width of the runway; perceiving the runway as wider than usual can lead a pilot to believe they are lower than their actual altitude, prompting an early or high flare.
- The lateral excursion was likely caused by the right landing gear brake locking, which may have occurred due to the impact of the hard landing or as a result of asymmetrical braking.