What happened
On May 20, 2009, a Cessna 182 P (registration F-GLHB) departed Montpellier Méditerranée for a flight to Tarbes Laloubère. While the initial flight progressed without issue, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions approximately 15 nautical miles from the destination. The pilot identified two cumulonimbus clouds flanking the flight path, and air traffic services confirmed the presence of convective activity near Tarbes.
Despite the presence of these storms, the pilot proceeded with the flight. As the aircraft approached the Laloubère airfield, the weather degraded rapidly, characterized by intense rain showers and heavy turbulence. The pilot attempted an immediate landing on runway 26, utilizing 40 degrees of flaps and increasing the approach speed by 15 knots to compensate for the turbulence. During the landing sequence, the aircraft bounced twice on the runway. During the subsequent taxi, the pilot noted abnormal vibrations, and upon reaching the parking area, the propeller blades were found to be slightly damaged from contact with the runway surface.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process and the accuracy of the meteorological assessment prior to landing. Investigators reviewed the pilot's pre-flight weather briefing, which included Météo-France TEMSI charts and TAF/METAR reports from Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées. The analysis compared the available weather information at the time of departure and arrival against the actual conditions encountered at the airfield, which included wind gusts of up to 40 knots and significantly reduced visibility under rain showers.