What happened
On Saturday, May 18, 2002, at 14:30, a Piper PA 28-181 (registration F-GHPT) was performing a reconnaissance flight over Granville aerodrome. The pilot, who was flying the aircraft for a club, decided to land on runway 25. During the landing flare, the aircraft experienced a period of gliding before touching down approximately mid-runway.
Following the touchdown, the pilot applied moderate braking but hesitated to apply more intense braking due to concerns regarding directional control. Consequently, the pilot decided to execute a go-around. The aircraft departed the runway with the flaps set in the landing position. Due to low airspeed and insufficient altitude, the aircraft was unable to clear a sand dune located approximately 200 meters beyond the end of the runway, to the left of the centerline. The aircraft subsequently stalled and struck the dune in a flat attitude.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the pilot's decision-making during the landing and subsequent go-around. Investigators noted that the pilot was flying the aircraft for the first time at this specific aerodrome. The weather conditions at the time of the accident included visibility of 15 km, broken cloud layers at approximately 2,100 feet, and winds from 190° at 12 knots.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an inappropriate decision to execute a go-around.
- The go-around was performed from an unstabilized approach.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage, and the pilot and the front right passenger sustained two injuries.