What happened
On September 10, 2011, at 18:30 local time, a Tecnam P 2002, registration F-HAZC, was preparing for a local flight at the Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole aerodrome. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, aligned the aircraft on the unpaved runway 29L. After checking the windsock and applying full engine power, the pilot released the brakes.
Approximately 30 meters into the takeoff roll, the aircraft veered to the left and began to skid. The pilot attempted to correct the directional deviation using the rudder pedals, but was unable to maintain control. In an effort to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot reduced engine power. However, the nose gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the ground as the aircraft reached the edge of the runway. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the wind conditions and the pilot's assessment of the environment. The pilot estimated the crosswind to be approximately 15 knots, as no air traffic control services were active at the time to provide precise meteorological data. While the flight manual for the Tecnam P 2002 specifies a demonstrated crosswind limit of 22 knots, weather observations from the nearby Toussus-le-Noble aerodrome indicated a wind of 190° at 12 knots with gusts reaching 22 knots.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's experience. At the time of the accident, the pilot held a PPL(A) with 54 total flight hours, all performed on this aircraft type. Notably, only three of those hours had been flown since receiving the license one month prior to the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's erroneous estimation of the crosswind prior to takeoff.
- A wind gust approaching the aircraft's maximum demonstrated limit likely contributed to the sudden loss of directional control.
- The pilot's relative inexperience contributed to the inability to manage the aerodynamic forces during the takeoff roll.