Incident Overview
On June 19, 2015, at approximately 15:30 local time, a Robin DR400-160 with registration F-GJBO experienced an accident while landing at the Ploermel Loyat aerodrome in France. The aircraft was operated by a club for general aviation purposes and carried one pilot and three passengers. The incident resulted in damage to the aircraft, but all four occupants evacuated without difficulty.
Flight Progression
The pilot was conducting a multi-leg journey starting from Saint-Brieuc Armor, with stops at Quiberon Belle-Ile and Ploermel Loyat. During the final approach to runway 10, an unimproved grass strip, the pilot encountered turbulence. To maintain the descent path, the pilot increased engine power. However, despite reducing power at low altitude, the aircraft retained excess speed, preventing a landing within the first third of the runway.
Upon touchdown, the pilot attempted to brake but determined that the aircraft could not be stopped before the runway end. A go-around was initiated with full power applied. Approximately 200 to 300 meters downrange, the aircraft did not gain sufficient altitude to clear a rapeseed field at the runway's edge. The plane came to rest in the field.
Contributing Factors
Meteorological conditions included variable winds between 350 and 020 degrees at 8 knots, with gusts reaching 16 to 20 knots. Localized turbulence was likely caused by thermal contrasts from nearby terrain and vegetation. The pilot reported being surprised by the turbulence and cited a misjudgment of braking capability on dry grass as reasons for the late decision to abort the landing. The investigation noted that the aircraft may not have accelerated sufficiently during the go-around, potentially due to haste in reconfiguration.