What happened
On February 16, 2014, a Robin DR400-140B, registration F-BUHP, was performing a local flight at Lognes Emerainville Aerodrome. While returning to the airfield, the pilot was instructed by air traffic control to maintain speed as the aircraft was third in the sequence for runway 26.
The approach was unstable; the aircraft initially crossed the final approach path above the glide slope with excess speed. While the aircraft eventually descended below the PAPI guidance, the pilot performed a high flare in full flaps configuration. During the flare, the aircraft gained unexpected altitude due to accumulated energy. As the stall warning activated, the pilot applied transient increases in engine power. This sequence of events caused the aircraft to bank sharply to the left. The left wingtip struck the runway approximately 500 meters from the threshold, causing the aircraft to veer off the paved surface and resulting in the failure of the nose landing gear. There were no fatalities among the three occupants, though the aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation analyzed flight data, including video footage recorded by a passenger, and spectral analysis of the engine audio. The investigators examined the aircraft's performance specifications, noting that the DR400-140B was equipped with a small-pitch propeller. The study focused on the pilot's pitch and power inputs during the flare, the aerodynamic effects of the engine's torque and P-factor, and the stability of the approach relative to the PAPI indicators.