Cessna 510 Runway Veer-off at Paris-Le Bourget

Casualties unknown • Paris – Le Bourget, FR

A Cessna 510 Citation Mustang veered off the runway at Paris-Le Bourget after landing before the displaced threshold during a night approach in marginal weather.

What happened

On 22 January 2019, a Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, registration F-GMTJ, was conducting a private cross-country flight from Düsseldorf, Germany, to Paris-Le Bourle. During the arrival, the pilot was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 27, followed by a visual maneuvering procedure (VPT 25) to runway 25.

At approximately 18:12, while landing on runway 25, the aircraft touched down 800 meters before the displaced threshold. Upon touchdown, the aircraft deviated to the left and subsequently veered off the runway approximately 500 meters further along, stopping 300 meters before the threshold in a grassy area. The incident resulted in no fatalities, though the aircraft sustained minor damage, including a broken landing gear door, and several runway lights were destroyed.

The investigation

The BEA investigation focused on the pilot's approach characteristics and the visibility of runway markings. Investigators found that while the airport's taxiway charts clearly indicated displaced thresholds, the specific IFR approach charts used by the pilot did not. Furthermore, the pilot had experienced a similar serious incident at the same airport in 2014.

Environmental factors were also examined, including the presence of a thin layer of snow and the fact that the runway surface before the displaced threshold consisted of a concrete overlay. The investigation also looked into the pilot's communication with air traffic controllers regarding his discomfort with the assigned approach procedure.

Findings

Several factors contributed to the runway excursion:

  • The pilot decided to land early without identifying the presence of the nearly 900-meter displaced threshold.
  • The pilot failed to express his discomfort or concerns regarding the unfamiliar VPT 25 approach and the marginal weather conditions to air traffic controllers.
  • Nighttime conditions and bright ground lights dazzled the pilot, making it difficult to identify the PAPI or lead-in lights.
  • The concrete section of the runway before the displaced threshold was likely very slippery, causing the leftward deviation despite the aircraft's antiskid system.
  • The pilot's limited experience with runway 25 approaches and the psychological pressure to avoid a repeat of his 2014 incident influenced his decision-making.

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to land before the displaced threshold, driven by a desire to avoid a repeat of a previous incident and hindered by the lack of visual identification of the threshold in night/marginal conditions, combined with a slippery runway surface.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2019-01-22 CESSNA 510 Citation Mustang accident near Paris – Le Bourget, FR?

A Cessna 510 Citation Mustang veered off the runway at Paris-Le Bourget after landing before the displaced threshold during a night approach in marginal weather.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2019-01-22 involved a CESSNA 510 Citation Mustang, registration F-GMTJ, at Paris – Le Bourget, FR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's decision to land before the displaced threshold, driven by a desire to avoid a repeat of a previous incident and hindered by the lack of visual identification of the threshold in night/marginal conditions, combined with a slippery runway surface.

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