Flight to Quiberon
On the morning of the accident, the pilot, accompanied by a passenger, flew under IFR flight mode from La Môle (83) to Quiberon (56). The flight took 3 hours and 40 minutes, and the return was scheduled for the afternoon. After landing in Quiberon, the pilot learned that there was no possibility to refuel with AVGAS, information that was not specified by NOTAM. The pilot then decided to refuel at Vannes-Meucon Airport before departing to Saint-Tropez/La Môle. He reported being upset by this situation and by the bad weather conditions in the area.
Pre-flight Actions
During the pre-flight visit at Quiberon, the pilot added oil. He indicated that he also carried out a pre-flight inspection before takeoff from Vannes.
Takeoff and Abort
During the takeoff roll from runway 22 at Vannes-Meucon Airport, rotation occurred in the first third of the runway. Just after liftoff, the pilot saw the engine cowling open. He immediately thought he forgot to tighten the dipstick and decided to abort the takeoff, landing on the remaining runway. Believing the runway was long enough, he thought he could stop before the end. He placed the power levers in the "full, reduced and choke" position and attempted to land the aircraft quickly.
Runway Excursion
As the aircraft had already reached a high speed, it touched down 200 metres short of the runway end, deviated longitudinally, and crossed the runway end safety area (RESA). It came to a stop 100 metres further on an embankment. The left wing was partially torn off, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. There was no fire, and both occupants escaped uninjured.