Incident Overview
On July 9, 2015, at approximately 18:50 local time, a Robin DR400-180 with registration F-GABT was involved in an accident at the Corlier altiport (01) in France. The aircraft was operated by a club for general aviation purposes. The flight carried a pilot and one passenger, both of whom sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed in the incident.
Flight Sequence and Conditions
The pilot had completed a multi-leg journey involving Bellegarde Vouvray, La Mole, and Lyon Bron before departing for Bellegarde Vouvray again. En route, the pilot decided to land at the Corlier altiport. After an overflight of the facility, the aircraft aligned with runway 12 for final approach. During landing, the aircraft touched down beyond the midpoint of the runway and bounced. The pilot applied heavy braking and attempted a wheelie maneuver, which resulted in the failure of the nose gear and the aircraft rolling onto its back.
Environmental Factors
Meteorological conditions at the altiport included winds from the north to northwest at 14 knots with gusts up to 25 knots. Visibility was clear (CAVOK). The pilot had consulted online weather data prior to departure, which indicated weakening winds east of Lyon. However, the single windsock located near the runway threshold was situated in a sheltered area due to surrounding terrain, failing to provide an accurate representation of the actual wind strength and direction.
Investigation Findings
The BEA report indicates that the accident resulted from landing in unfavorable aerological conditions that were not properly detected during the pilot's reconnaissance. The pilot’s accumulated fatigue from approximately five hours of flying earlier that day may have contributed to a lack of vigilance. Following this event, the altiport operator installed a second windsock at the opposite end of the runway to improve wind information accuracy.