What happened
On Thursday, January 14, 1999, a Robin DR 400-140 B, registration F-GDKR, was conducting a local flight at Saintes Aerodrome. After approximately one hour of flight time, the pilot contacted the controller managing the parachute zone located above the runways to announce their position in the northern part of the aerodrome.
Due to the prevailing wind conditions, the controller suggested that the pilot use runway 30. The pilot agreed and subsequently reported being on the final approach for runway 30. However, the pilot actually approached and attempted to land on runway 12. This resulted in a landing with a 10-knot tailwind. As the aircraft touched down, it bounced several times on the runway. During the subsequent sequence, the nose gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to come to a rest on its nose at the runway intersection. There were two persons on board, and the aircraft sustained light damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making and the environmental factors present during the approach. Investigators examined the meteorological conditions, which included visibility greater than 10 km, scattered clouds at 3,300 feet, and a wind from 300 degrees at 8 to 14 knots. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting that while the pilot had 125 total flight hours, they had not flown in the three months prior to the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a confusion regarding the runway heading (QFU), leading the pilot to land on runway 12 instead of the suggested runway 30.
- The landing was performed with a significant tailwind of 10 knots.
- The aircraft's landing on runway 12 involved a descending runway slope of approximately 1.3% between the threshold and the runway intersection.