What happened
On August 2, 2011, at 12:45 local time, a Robin DR400-120, registration F-GJZL, was involved in a runway excursion at the Aurillac aerodrome. Following a 45-minute local flight, the pilot, carrying one passenger, landed on runway 15. After touchdown, the pilot attempted to perform a turnaround on the runway to reach the single taxiway located near the threshold of runway 15.
During this taxiing maneuver, the aircraft maintained an excessive speed. The pilot was unable to decelerate sufficiently or steer the aircraft to the right to enter the taxiway. Consequently, the aircraft exited the paved surface of the runway and struck an electrical cabinet. The pilot managed to bring the aircraft to a stop in the grass, but the impact caused heavy damage to the left wing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's braking techniques and the aircraft's speed during the turnaround. The pilot, who had approximately 200 total flight hours (including 120 hours on this type), noted that she was accustomed to operating DR400 models equipped with parking brakes. Because of this familiarity, she did not immediately utilize the toe brakes to decelerate when approaching the turn. This delay in braking contributed to the aircraft's inability to navigate the turn at the existing speed.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt a turn toward the taxiway while the aircraft was traveling at an excessive speed.
- A delay in applying the toe brakes, due to the pilot's habit of using parking brakes on other aircraft, prevented sufficient deceleration.