What happened
On September 23, 2006, a Robin DR 300-108, registration F-BSLJ, was preparing for a solo return flight from Rouen aerodrome to Les Mureaux. The pilot, a trainee with limited solo experience, aligned the aircraft with runway 22 and applied takeoff power.
As the aircraft reached a speed of approximately 100 km/h, it began to zigzag along the runway. The pilot attempted to maintain contact between the nose wheel and the ground, but the vibrations and lateral oscillations intensified. The aircraft's trajectory deviated sharply to the left, prompting the pilot to abort the takeoff. The aircraft exited the runway, crossed a taxiway, and came to a stop in a drainage ditch after traveling approximately 700 meters. The incident resulted in one minor injury to the pilot and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's technique and the aircraft's behavior during the takeoff roll. Investigators noted that while the pilot had been trained to increase takeoff speeds during crosswind conditions and to relieve pressure on the nose gear on unpaved runways, this was the pilot's first solo takeoff on a paved runway.
Technical analysis of the flight manual indicated that the aircraft should rotate between 90 and 100 km/h. The investigation examined the pilot's decision to target a rotation speed of 110 km/h and the decision not to relieve the nose gear during the takeoff roll. The pilot also stated that the chosen speed of 110 km/h did not align with the instructions previously provided by flight instructors.