What happened
On January 3, 2002, a Robin DR 400-180, registration F-GAOU, was performing a flight from Lille Lesquin to Valenciennes Aerodrome. During the landing phase on runway 11, the aircraft's nose wheel made contact with the runway, after which the aircraft drifted left of the runway centerline. The aircraft veered onto a parallel grass strip at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the runway axis.
As the aircraft traveled along the grass, it maintained a low altitude for a few moments before banking sharply to the left. This maneuver led to a stall on the right wing, causing the aircraft to strike the ground violently. The impact resulted in two slight injuries (the pilot and one passenger) and significant damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's control inputs and the mechanical state of the aircraft. Evidence from the wreckage indicated that the engine was producing low power at the moment of impact. The pilot reported that he had not applied brakes during the landing roll.
Crucially, the investigation examined the pilot's reaction to the lateral deviation. The pilot attempted to correct the leftward drift by applying right rudder, which proved ineffective. In an effort to regain control, the pilot attempted to force the nose wheel down by pushing the control column forward while maintaining a full-idle throttle setting. The pilot also noted that the stall warning had been active from the moment of a previous go-around attempt until the final impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was confusion in the action of the flight controls.
- The pilot's attempt to regain control involved pushing the control column forward, which contributed to the loss of lift and the subsequent stall.
- The pilot's experience on the specific aircraft type was limited, having not flown the Robin DR 400-180 for over three months.
- The pilot's recent training and flight hours were primarily on a different aircraft type (SOCATA TB 9), where the throttle is operated with the right hand, potentially leading to instinctive but incorrect movements regarding the throttle and control column during the emergency.