What happened
On Sunday, January 28, 2001, at approximately 16:00, a Cessna 152, registration F-GCNJ, was conducting a solo navigation flight as part of a student pilot's training for a private pilot license. The flight path followed a triangle between Toussus-le-Noble, Blois, and Montargis.
As the pilot approached the Montargis aerodrome from the west, they observed the windsock and estimated a calm wind from 030°. The pilot decided to enter a downwind leg for runway 23. During the final turn of the circuit, the pilot was suddenly dazzled by the sun. Although the pilot applied sunglasses, they chose to continue the approach. During the landing phase, the pilot mistakenly identified a muddy strip of land to the right of the runway as the actual grass runway. The aircraft landed on this muddy surface, resulting in the aircraft being heavily damaged.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's decision-making process, the environmental conditions, and the aircraft's flight path. Investigators noted that the pilot had previously attempted this flight several times but had turned back due to poor weather. Prior to this flight, the pilot had contacted a local aero club to inquire about runway conditions; the club had warned that the entrance to runway 23 was wet and suggested using runway 05 instead.
Investigators also analyzed the solar position, which was at an azimuth of 223° at the time of the accident, and the presence of numerous puddles on the ground. The investigation also looked into the pilot's physiological state, noting that the pilot had reported feeling fatigued and was eager to complete the flight to rest.