What happened
On January 25, 2007, at 10:26 UTC, a Fokker 28-100, registration F-GMPG, operated by Régional, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Pau Pyrénées to Paris Charles de Gaulle. After receiving takeoff clearance for runway 13, the crew applied TOGA thrust. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft encountered a period of instability, characterized by a series of lateral oscillations. The aircraft initially banked to the left at a maximum of 35 degrees, triggering the BANK ANGLE warning. The crew attempted to correct the movement, but the aircraft subsequently rolled to the right at an angle of 67 degrees, followed by a second left-hand bank of 59 degrees, which triggered the DON'T SINK alert.
During this unstable phase, the aircraft's altitude reached a maximum of only 107 feet. The right main landing gear struck the ground in the area adjacent to the runway at a speed of 160 knots. The aircraft bounced and continued to slide through the airfield's perimeter, eventually crossing a departmental road. During the excursion, the aircraft's left landing gear struck the cabin of a truck, and the main landing gear were subsequently torn from the airframe after hitting an embankment. The aircraft slid approximately 535 meters through a field before coming to a halt. The accident resulted in one fatality, involving the driver of the truck, while the 50 passengers and 4 crew members on board the aircraft escaped without injury.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the flight parameters recorded by the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). Investigators examined the aircraft's performance, the maintenance history of the airframe and engines, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation also included an analysis of the aircraft's flight control systems, including the rudder, elevators, and flaps, as well as the engine performance of the Rolls-Royce Tay 620-15 engines. The investigation involved international cooperation from the Netherlands (as the state of design) and Germany (for engine oversight).