What happened
On August 22, 2001, a Reims Aviation Cessna F 172 N, registration G-BKLP, was on a VFR flight from Little Gransden, UK, to Le Touquet, France. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and two passengers.
Upon arrival at Le Touquet, a misunderstanding occurred regarding the active runway. While the air traffic controller announced runway 14 was in use, the pilot mistakenly identified the active runway as 24. The pilot proceeded to land on runway 24, touching down approximately 100 meters past the displaced threshold. The aircraft experienced several bounces and struggled with directional control. Due to the unstable landing, the pilot decided to execute a go-around. During the climb, the aircraft struck trees at the end of the runway and crashed into a nearby wooded area. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused injuries to the pilot and both passengers.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's wreckage, the pilot's experience, and the radio communications between the pilot and the controller. Investigators found that the engine was producing normal power and the control surfaces were functional. However, the pilot lacked a visual approach chart for Le Touquet and was unaware of the local ATIS frequency.
Radio transcripts revealed that while the pilot explicitly stated intentions for runway 24, the controller did not correct the error, likely due to the phonetic similarity between "one four" and "two four." The investigation also noted that the pilot had very limited experience with the Cessna 172 model, having flown it only once previously.