What happened
On the morning of August 20, 2010, a Robin DR400-120, registration F-GBVR, was involved in a ground collision at the Île d’Yeu aerodrome. The aircraft was being operated by a flight club for a solo PPL(A) training session.
Following engine start, the student pilot remained stationary on the concrete apron to allow the engine to warm up. During this period, the pilot began reviewing the post-start checklist. While focused on the documentation, the pilot failed to notice that the aircraft had begun moving forward. The left wing of the aircraft struck the lower engine cowling of another aircraft parked approximately twenty meters away. The pilot immediately shut down the engine following the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the braking system and the pilot's actions during the engine warm-up period. Investigators examined the parking brake mechanism, which is operated by a lever located between the two seats. The investigation confirmed that the braking system was fully functional and that the white indicator mark on the handle was correctly positioned to show the brake was engaged.
Regarding the pilot's actions, the investigation established that while the post-start checklist includes a specific verification of the parking brake application, the pilot had inadvertently released the brake through an accidental movement while performing the checklist. The investigation also noted that the low engine RPM prevented a sudden acceleration that might have otherwise alerted the pilot to the aircraft's motion. At the time of the incident, the pilot had approximately 32 total flight hours, including 5 hours of solo flight time.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the inadvertent release of the parking brake.
- A lack of external monitoring by the student pilot, who remained focused on the checklist rather than the aircraft's movement, contributed to the collision.