What happened
On July 13, 2013, a Piper J3 Cub, registration F-BFMQ, was performing a local flight from Avignon Caumont aerodrome. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and one passenger, landed on runway 35. During the landing roll, the aircraft began to deviate toward the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the veer by applying right rudder, but the maneuver was unsuccessful. As the aircraft exited the paved surface, the right landing gear struck the PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) system. The impact caused the gear to break and the right wingtip to contact the ground before the aircraft came to a halt. The aircraft sustained heavy damage, and the PAPI installation was also damaged.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical integrity of the aircraft's tailwheel assembly and the pilot's control inputs. Investigators examined the rear wheel, springs, and chains connecting the wheel to the rudder; these components had undergone an annual maintenance inspection on June 18, 2013, and no anomalies were found following the accident. The pilot's experience was also reviewed; at the time of the accident, the pilot had approximately 280 total flight hours, including 10 hours on this specific type and 20 hours on other tailwheel aircraft.
Regarding the runway environment, the investigation noted that while the PAPI is a frangible obstacle designed to break away upon impact to minimize risk, it remains a significant hazard capable of causing substantial damage to an aircraft during an excursion.