What happened
On July 26, 2006, a student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country flight in a Robin DR 400-120, registration F-GORM, departing from Toulouse Lasbordes. The flight plan included a pass over Revel, a touch-and-go maneuver at Castres, a pass over Albi, and a return to Lasbordes.
Upon arriving at Castres aerodrome, the pilot attempted a touch-and-go. Following the initial touchdown of the main landing gear, the pilot did not allow the aircraft to decelerate before quickly applying power for the takeoff portion of the maneuver. During this sequence, the pilot attempted to set the flaps to the takeoff position. While attempting to operate the flap lever, the pilot's attention was diverted from the flight controls to the flap mechanism. Upon looking back at the runway, the pilot realized the aircraft had drifted to the left. In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot reduced engine power and decided to allow the aircraft to exit the runway onto the grass. The aircraft struck a light beacon and rolled parallel to the runway before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the high-workload phase of the touch-and-go. The examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the left main landing gear fairing, a warped brake disc, and an abraded brake line between the master cylinder and the caliper. The pilot reported feeling significant apprehension due to the workload of the maneuver, which led to rushed actions. The investigation also examined the mechanical operation of the flap lever, noting that the mechanism requires the pilot to press a release button at the end of the lever and then release it to lock the flaps in place. This specific operation can be confused with the operation of a car's emergency brake, which requires holding the button depressed throughout the movement.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was pilot apprehension leading to rushed actions during the touch-and-go maneuver.
- An inappropriate action regarding the flap control lever caused a distraction.
- The pilot's attention was diverted from the aircraft's directional control to the flap lever mechanism.
- The pilot's attempt to manipulate the flaps was performed with excessive haste, contributing to the loss of directional control.