What happened
On Monday, February 24, at 11:45, a Socata TB 10, registration F-GJXF, was performing solo circuit training at the Grenoble Saint-Geoirs aerodrome. The aircraft was operating on runway 27. During the second landing of the flight, a sudden crosswind gust lifted the left wing of the aircraft. This movement caused the right wingtip to make contact with the runway surface, resulting in the aircraft veering off the runway toward the upwind side.
Following the wingtip strike, the nose gear underwent deformation. The pilot applied heavy braking in an attempt to control the aircraft, which subsequently caused the propeller to strike the ground.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight conditions and the sequence of events during the landing phase. Investigators examined the meteorological data, which recorded winds from 230 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience level, noting that the trainee pilot had 15 total flight hours, with only 6 hours of solo experience and 13 solo landings completed at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the insufficient control of a crosswind gust during the landing roll.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage to the airframe, nose gear, and propeller.
- The impact of the wingtip strike and the subsequent heavy braking contributed to the propeller-to-ground contact.