What happened
On July 30, 2020, a private flight involving a Robin DR 400/160, registration HB-KLT, was en route from Annecy Meythet, France, to Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Due to the unavailability of customs services at the destination after 18:30 local time, the pilot diverted to Lausanne-La Blécherette (LSGL) to complete necessary formalities.
During the landing on runway 18, the aircraft experienced a series of bounces. The aircraft struck the runway twice before a third contact occurred. Upon this third impact, the nose gear failed, causing the aircraft to come to a halt on its nose in the middle of the runway. The pilot and two passengers sustained one slight injury, while the aircraft suffered heavy damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's PowerFlarm data and local webcam footage, which confirmed that the approach was significantly faster than recommended. While the flight manual specifies an approach speed of approximately 120 km/h and a landing speed of 115 km/h, the data showed ground speeds as high as 159 km/h during short final and 140 km/h during the initial bounces.
Technical analysis of the nose gear strut revealed no prior cracks or structural weaknesses. Instead, the metallurgical examination concluded that the failure was the result of a fracture caused by one or more violent impacts during the landing sequence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an unstable and excessively fast approach, which induced multiple bounces on the runway.
- The landing occurred on runway 18, which features a 2.5% gradient during the first 414 meters; this slope may have contributed to an unexpected flare.
- The pilot did not execute a go-around despite the unstable approach.
- Time pressure related to completing customs formalities may have influenced the pilot's decision-making.