What happened
On Monday, October 28, 2002, at 12:10, a Robin DR 400-140 B, registration F-GORR, was involved in an accident at the Grenoble Saint-Geoirs aerodrome during a training flight. The pilot had departed from Grenoble Le Versoud earlier that morning to perform a series of touch-and-go landings, including a successful maneuver at Chambéry.
While approaching runway 09 at Grenoble Saint-Geoirs, the pilot flew the aircraft in a crabbed attitude with flaps set to the second notch, maintaining a speed of approximately 130 km/h. Upon touchdown, the pilot did not use the rudder pedals to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline. Consequently, the aircraft drifted toward the grassy area on the left side of the runway. In an attempt to correct the trajectory, the pilot applied full right rudder, but the aircraft failed to return to the centerline.
Before exiting the runway pavement, the pilot initiated a go-around at a speed of roughly 110 km/h. As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 30 meters, it experienced a sharp right bank. The pilot lost control, causing the right wing and engine to impact the ground. The aircraft subsequently pivoted to the right and came to a rest on the grass bordering the runway. The pilot was injured, and the aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Meteorological data indicated a wind from 360° at 12 to 18 knots, visibility greater than 10 km, and a temperature of 12°C. The investigation examined the pilot's actions during the landing and the subsequent go-around, noting that the flaps remained in the landing configuration and the carburetor heat was engaged during the event. The pilot noted that he had no prior experience performing landings in crosswind conditions of this magnitude.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an inappropriate crosswind landing technique, specifically a failure to properly account for the effects of the crosswind.
- The pilot did not use the rudder to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline upon touchdown, leading to a lateral drift.
- The pilot's attempt to correct the drift with full rudder was ineffective, leading to the decision to execute a go-around while the aircraft was off-center.