What happened
On August 23, 2006, a Robin DR aircraft, registered F-GAVJ, was conducting a pleasure flight carrying a pilot and three passengers near Enghien, France. After completing engine tests without any noted anomalies, the pilot taxied to holding point 07. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft reached a ground speed of approximately 60 knots. As the pilot initiated rotation, the stall warning alarm activated and continued to sound almost continuously.
The aircraft entered a steep climb with a high pitch attitude. Approximately 50 seconds after rotation, a significant drop in engine RPM was heard, followed by a stall at an altitude of roughly 200 feet. The aircraft subsequently crashed approximately 800 meters from the end of runway 07, resulting in three injuries and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and recovered the aircraft's flight manual and checklists. Analysis of the engine revealed a faulty capacitor associated with the left magneto, which caused intermittent malfunctions. While the magneto selector was found in a position that appeared misaligned, it was unclear if this was due to the impact. The fuel selector was set to the main tank, which contained 85 liters of fuel.
A video recorded by a passenger provided critical evidence. The footage showed that passengers were frequently and loudly interrupting the intercom during the flight. The audio analysis confirmed that the propeller speed dropped from 2,340 RPM at takeoff to approximately 1,500 RPM during the climb. Furthermore, the video showed the aircraft maintaining a pitch angle of about 20 degrees, a characteristic of flight in the second regime.
Findings
- The pilot failed to complete all required pre-takeoff checks, specifically regarding the magneto selection.
- The pilot's insufficient knowledge of the aircraft's specific flight parameters and failure to use standard attitude references contributed to the loss of control.
- The pilot failed to recognize that the aircraft was operating in the second regime (low-power setting).
- An intermittent failure in the left magneto capacitor was identified, though the investigation noted that if the magneto selector had been correctly set to 'BOTH', this failure alone would not have caused the observed power loss. It is possible the pilot left the selector in the 'L' position due to restricted visibility from the right seat.