Event Sequence
On 14 March 2014, around 18:30 local time, a Mooney M20F, registered F-BOSJ, was involved in a runway excursion at Cannes-Mandelieu aerodrome. The pilot had departed from Toulouse-Lasbordes around 16:15 for a flight to Cannes-Mandelieu. Upon arrival, the pilot conducted a long final approach for runway 17. During the first landing, the aircraft touched down hard and bounced several times. The pilot aborted the landing and performed an airport traffic pattern.
During the second landing, the aircraft touched down at mid-runway, left of the centerline. It bounced multiple times, then veered left off the runway. The right wing struck a sign. The pilot reported that braking seemed ineffective.
Pilot Information
The pilot had accumulated 17 hours 25 minutes of flight time on DA40 aircraft during dual instruction at a training center, with the last session on 12 December 2013. He had not yet been released for solo flight. On 5 March 2014, he logged 45 minutes on a Cessna 152, also under dual instruction. In preparation for purchasing F-BOSJ, he had flown five hours on that aircraft with a friend of the owner, a retired instructor who believed the pilot had over 100 hours of flight time. The instructor noted no particular issues except for landing bounces, which he attributed to the aircraft's higher weight compared to the pilot's previous experience.
The pilot stated that he was conducting the cross-country flight as solo navigation but had not obtained an instructor's approval. He believed that because he owned the aircraft, solo navigation did not require supervision. He had not yet passed the PPL(A) theoretical exam, though he had attended most lessons where he was taught that solo flights are supervised.
The day before the accident, the pilot had also experienced a runway excursion during landing at Rion-des-Landes while flying the same aircraft, which caused no apparent damage.
Aircraft Information
The Mooney M20F, registration F-BOSJ, sustained damage during the accident. Investigation of the braking system revealed no malfunctions.
Investigation Findings
The BEA concluded that the accident was due to the pilot's decision to take off despite lacking the necessary skills to conduct the flight safely.