Incident Overview
On October 24, 2011, at 14:40 local time, a Jodel D140 registered F-BKSS was involved in a serious incident while landing at the Saint Roch Mayères altisurface in Haute-Savoie, France. The aircraft sustained heavy damage during a training flight conducted by a club operator.
Circumstances of the Event
The aircraft arrived from Megève after a thirty-minute flight. During the landing roll on the unpaved runway, the plane bounced upward to a vertical position before falling heavily onto its tailwheel. Video footage captured by a witness confirmed that the initial touchdown occurred at mid-runway and that the propeller struck the ground during the subsequent impact.
Personnel and Aircraft Status
The instructor was a 59-year-old pilot with a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) obtained in 1984, holding mountain qualifications for both wheeled and ski operations. He had approximately 2,000 hours on type. The student pilot, aged 61, held a Private Pilot License (PPL) issued by Swiss authorities and possessed specific site qualifications for Megève. Following the incident, the propeller and rear spring blade were replaced on-site by a club mechanic, and the aircraft was towed to Megève for further inspection.
Conclusion
The investigation concluded that the incident was likely caused by premature application of brakes by the student pilot shortly after touchdown. Reduced vigilance by the instructor may have contributed to the outcome. Additionally, the decision to return the aircraft to service in a mountainous environment following only summary repairs was deemed premature given the severity of the impact.