What happened
On Saturday, May 17, 2003, at 12:30, a Cessna 210 N Centurion, registration F-GCGJ, was conducting a private flight toward the Vendée Air-Park at Talmont-Saint-Hilaire. The pilot had originally departed from Toulouse Lasbordes under IFR conditions, intending to transit through La Rochelle before continuing under VFR to the destination. After an initial unsuccessful attempt to locate the airfield, the pilot diverted to La Rochelle and later departed again under VFR conditions to complete the trip.
During the approach to runway 22, the pilot was flying at 70 knots with flaps extended. As the aircraft neared the ground, a wind gust pushed the plane to the right of the runway centerline. To prevent the right main gear from contacting the unpaved surface, the pilot initiated a go-around. During this maneuver, the aircraft touched down on the main gear at the runway threshold, but the flight path deviated approximately 30 degrees from the runway axis. The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway and collided violently with a hedge, where it came to a stop. The pilot sustained one injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, and the sequence of the landing attempt. At the time of the occurrence, the weather featured rain, visibility of 10 km, and an overcast ceiling between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. Winds were recorded from 200 degrees at 12 to 14 knots, with gusts reaching 30 knots. The investigation also considered the pilot's recent flight history and the physical state of the aircraft and airfield.