What happened
On February 28, 1999, at 14:10, a Cessna 172 N Skyhawk, registered F-GBJQ, was preparing for takeoff from runway 31L at Dieppe Aerodrome. The flight was being conducted as a local club flight. During the alignment phase, the air traffic controller informed the pilot of a wind direction of 220° at 16 knots, with gusts present.
Shortly after the pilot released the brakes, a strong gust prompted the pilot to reduce engine power. During this maneuver, the aircraft pitched forward and to the right, subsequently veered to the left, and exited the paved runway surface. The incident resulted in damage to the propeller and the right wingtip.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's movement during the takeoff roll and the prevailing meteorological conditions. Investigators established that at the time of the incident, the wind was 220° at 16 knots, with gusts reaching 24 knots. The investigation also reviewed the technical limitations of the aircraft regarding crosswind components.