Circumstances
On 11 August 2012 at 12:00 local time, a Robin DR400-140B, registered F-GGXK, operated by an aero club, was conducting a return flight from Les Sables-d'Olonne Talmont aerodrome to Poitiers Biard. The pilot, accompanied by two passengers, aligned on paved runway 06. During the takeoff roll, the pilot noted slow acceleration, which he attributed to the aircraft's high mass. He applied significant elevator force to rotate. As the aircraft lifted off, the stall warning sounded. The pilot immediately released the controls and the aircraft landed back on the runway. He reduced power and applied brakes. The aircraft overran the runway end, crossed the perimeter fence, and came to rest approximately 50 meters beyond the runway end in a ditch. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the takeoff had been attempted with the flaps in the landing (full) position.
Aerodrome Information
The aerodrome operated under self-information. The available takeoff distance on runway 06 was 730 meters. To reach the runway threshold from the parking area, pilots had to backtrack along the runway.
Pilot Background and Events
The pilot, aged 59 and holder of a private pilot license since October 2010, had approximately 100 total flight hours, including 18 on the DR400. Earlier that day, he had conducted a local flight with two other passengers. During that flight, the alternator charge warning light illuminated. The pilot cycled the battery and alternator switches but could not extinguish the light. He shortened the flight and landed without further incident. He subsequently contacted the chief pilot and club president, who informed him that the alternator light had been intermittent since the aircraft was acquired in January 2012. They advised him that a successful engine start would confirm adequate battery charge. The club mechanic had diagnosed the issue as a false alarm likely due to a fault in the alarm panel.
Around 11:30, the pilot decided to begin the return flight. He was aware that another person had reserved the aircraft for 14:00. After engine start, during the alarm panel test, all lights remained off. He cycled the mechanical flap control multiple times to check if the green flap indicator on the alarm panel would illuminate; it did not. He was troubled by this additional malfunction. He also felt uncomfortable due to heat, and traffic at the aerodrome had become heavy, with several aircraft in the pattern and parachute drops. These factors progressively stressed the pilot, which he believed prevented him from completing all checklist items.
He noticed that three of the four circuit breakers on the side panel were tripped. He managed to reset two, but the "warning lights" circuit breaker remained tripped. Despite these issues, he decided to depart to return the aircraft on time.
At the holding point, he waited for a landing aircraft to clear the runway before backtracking. He stated that stress again interfered with his pre-takeoff checklist, and he likely omitted checking the flap position. He hurried because an aircraft was waiting behind him and another was in the circuit. After backtracking and turning at the runway end, he performed the alignment checklist, which did not include a flap position check, and applied full power.
Additional Information
The pilot had not consulted the flight manual after the alternator light issue or after the local flight. He was unfamiliar with the electrical system of the DR400 and did not know that the ammeter could indicate an alternator fault. He had never practiced electrical failure scenarios during training or subsequent dual flights.
The four circuit breakers on the left side required partial depression to reset; full depression caused them to trip again. The pilot was unaware of this.
The automatic weather station at Les Sables-d'Olonne recorded variable wind between 110° and 160° at 6 to 11 knots, with an outside temperature of 27°C at 12:00.
The flight manual for the DR400-140B indicated that, under the day's conditions and with flaps set to the first notch, the available takeoff distance was sufficient.
Conclusion
The accident was due to non-verification of the flap position before alignment. Many factors progressively led to this situation.