Collision with Terrain During Engine Failure Exercise (F-GEKL)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On June 5, 2014, at 16:50 local time, a Robin DR 400-120 with registration F-GEKL was involved in a collision with terrain near Hasparren (64). The aircraft was operated by a club for a general aviation dual-command instruction flight. The flight was a return-to-flying exercise for a pilot who had not flown for six months and had recently joined the club. The aircraft was heavily damaged in the incident. ## Flight Sequence and Accident The pilot and instructor were conducting an engine failure exercise in a rural area. At an altitude of 150 feet, the instructor deemed the exercise successful and instructed the pilot to apply power. The pilot reported interrupting the approach and retracting the carburetor heat. The aircraft initially climbed at approximately 500 feet per minute, but the rate of climb subsequently decreased. The instructor stated that he took control of the aircraft and aimed for the lowest part of the hill ahead. The aircraft struck the ground in an uphill meadow and hit a fence post. ## Meteorological and Site Conditions The wind was from the east at approximately 10 knots, with a temperature of 25°C. Visibility was greater than 10 kilometers, and there were no clouds. The final approach of the exercise was made facing southeast, downwind of north-south oriented terrain. The east wind could have caused a descending current in this area. The accident occurred in a hilly area of the Pyrenean foothills, with the impact point at an altitude of approximately 600 feet. The terrain to the south of this area reaches approximately 1,000 feet. ## Pilot Experience and Aircraft Information The instructor held a private pilot license since 1962 and a professional pilot license, with approximately 9,000 flight hours and a mountain qualification. The pilot held a private pilot license since 1991, with approximately 350 flight hours. The club operated a DR 400-180 and a DR 400-160, and had acquired the DR 400-120 in September 2013. The student reported hearing the stall warning for a long time after applying power, while the instructor did not recall hearing the alarm. The aircraft was within mass and centering limits, and the flight manual indicated a climb rate of approximately 500 feet per minute under the conditions of the day.