What happened
On May 4, 2014, at 17:45, a Centrair C 101A Pégase, registration F-CGNZ, was completing a local flight at the Saint-Girons Antichan aerodrome. As the pilot approached runway 34, a Schleicher K8 glider was stationary on the adjacent grass runway, positioned approximately 20 meters to the left of the paved runway edge. Simultaneously, an instructor and student in a Schlelar ASK13 had just landed on the paved runway and were taxiing to the right. Following a radio request from the instructor, the pilot of the F-CGNZ proceeded to land on the paved surface. During the landing roll, the aircraft bounced twice, causing it to veer left off the paved runway and collide with the stationary K8. The impact resulted in a nose-over, causing damage to the left wing and a bent fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of aircraft movements and the pilot's experience. The pilot had obtained their glider license in 2012 and had approximately 50 flight hours. While the pilot had operated on the paved runway previously, they had only flown the Centrair C 101A Pégase four times, only once in 2014, and had never operated this specific model solo. Investigators also reviewed the aerodrome layout, noting that simultaneous use of the paved and grass runways is prohibited.
Findings
- The rapid succession of three landings within a three-minute window meant the runway was not cleared quickly enough.
- The pilot likely experienced increased workload due to managing surrounding traffic and the specific handling characteristics of the Centrair C 101A Pégase in wind conditions.
- The pilot's attention was likely fixated on the stationary glider, a phenomenon known as fascination, which can cause an operator to unconsciously steer toward an obstacle and inhibit natural avoidance maneuvers.