What happened
On July 14, 2013, a Robin DR400-120, registration F-GSBE, was conducting a private flight from Saint-André-de-l’Eure to Le Havre Octeville. The flight included a planned stop at Le Havre followed by a sightseeing tour of the Baie de Seine.
Upon approaching Le Havre, the pilot received information via ATIS regarding a 10-knot wind from 330 degrees. Due to experiencing turbulence, the pilot increased the landing speed to 140 km/h and deployed landing flaps. After touchdown, as the pilot began braking, the aircraft suddenly veered to the left and exited the side of the runway. While the pilot managed to avoid several rows of hay bales, the aircraft's right wing struck another bale, causing damage to the aircraft. The aircraft came to a stop within the cleared area.
The investigation
The investigation examined the presence of obstacles within the runway's cleared area, which is designed to be 150 meters wide on each side of the runway axis to mitigate damage during runway excursions. It was established that large quantities of hay bales had been left in this area for over five days following recent mowing operations.
Investigators found that while the airport operator's protocol required hay bales to be stored outside the cleared area, there were no specific instructions regarding the timeframe for their removal. The agricultural contractor, responsible for mowing, cited weather conditions and technical issues as reasons for the delay in moving the approximately 1,400 bales. Furthermore, the Air Navigation Service (SNA) had not requested the removal of the obstacles, and while the presence of the bales was mentioned in the ATES, no NOTAM had been issued.
Findings
- The exact cause of the lateral runway excursion could not be definitively determined, though asymmetric braking combined with the high approach speed chosen by the pilot may have contributed to the loss of directional control.
- The aircraft sustained damage due to the collision with a hay bale located within the runway's cleared area.
- Operational and weather constraints prevented the agricultural contractor from moving the hay bales immediately after production.
- The airport operator and the SNA underestimated the risk posed by leaving obstacles in the cleared area during a runway excursion event.