What happened
On May 19, 2007, at 14:40, a Robin DR 400-140 B, registered F-GLVT, was involved in an accident during a passenger transport flight at the Châlons Ecury-sur-Coole aerodrome. The aircraft, operated by a flying club, was part of a two-plane operation intended to transport a group of tourists from Châlons Ecury-sur-Coole to Châlons Vatty.
During the takeoff roll on the unpaved runway 04, witnesses observed the nose gear lifting off the ground multiple times. The aircraft briefly ascended a few meters before dropping back onto its tail at approximately the midpoint of the runway. The pilot reported that the flight controls appeared unresponsive during this sequence. The aircraft was subsequently destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's configuration and the flight's preparation. Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the elevator trim was set to the full nose-up position at the time of impact, and the flaps were retracted. No mechanical malfunctions in the flight control systems were identified.
Analysis of the loading manifest revealed that the aircraft's total mass exceeded the maximum allowable weight by approximately 40 kilograms. Furthermore, the center of gravity was positioned near the rear limit of the permissible range.