Incident Overview
On July 6, 2013, at approximately 17:30 local time, a Grumman American Aviation AA-5 Traveler with registration G-BIWW experienced a mechanical failure during landing at Pons-Avy aerodrome in France. The aircraft was operated by a flying club for a general aviation scenic flight carrying one pilot and three passengers.
Flight Progression
The flight departed Pons-Avy around 15:00. While the initial portion of the half-hour flight proceeded normally, the pilot reported encountering turbulence during the final approach round-out phase. This instability forced the pilot to adjust power settings and alter the intended landing point, resulting in a touchdown approximately 200 meters down the unimproved runway (Runway 31). Upon contact with the main gear, the pilot released pressure on the control stick, causing the nose gear to collapse. The aircraft slid for roughly thirty meters before coming to rest on its fuselage.
Damage and Investigation Findings
Post-incident inspection revealed a static rupture of the front landing gear leg. Additionally, the tips of both propeller blades were folded backward, indicating the engine was operating at low power during the event. The pilot, who held a PPL/A license with 1,350 total flight hours but only 10 hours on type, noted that he had increased his approach speed to 75 knots due to crosswinds and turbulence. This exceeded the recommended range of 65–70 knots for maximum takeoff weight.
Contributing Factors
The investigation concluded that the combination of high approach speed, turbulence, and crosswind made the landing phase more challenging. It is probable that inappropriate control inputs after main gear touchdown generated significant lateral loads on the nose gear, leading to its failure. The pilot's limited experience on this specific aircraft type was also identified as a contributing factor.