Accident to the Cessna 150M registered N7616U on 13/07/2019 at Lons-le-Saunier

Note: The following information is principally based on the pilot’s statement. This information has not been independently validated by the BEA.

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Report on the Safety Investigation. As accurate as the translation may be, the original text in French is the work of reference.

1 - History of the flight

The pilot was performing a local flight on his own aircraft, from Lons-Le-Saunier Courlaoux aerodrome, where it is based. The pilot explained that, during the take-off run on runway 08, he noticed that the runway was very bumpy.

Back from the flight, the pilot entered the downwind leg for runway 08 and felt sudden variations in speed of about 10 kts. On final, the pilot configured his aircraft with flap 20° selected and decided to slightly increase his speed above 65 kts[1] to take into account the gusts of wind.

The pilot explained that when the main landing gear touched the runway, the aircraft took off again abruptly with a steep nose-up attitude and then stalled. The aircraft struck the runway and bounced, the nose landing gear broke and the aircraft came to a stop on the runway.

2 - Additional information

2.1 Information about the pilot

The 65-year-old pilot had owned his aircraft since 2012 and had been flying exclusively on this aircraft since its acquisition. He held a Private Pilot Licence delivered in 2012, after obtaining a Basic Pilot Licence in 2011.

He had logged nearly 430 flight hours, including 301 hours on the N7616U. In the previous 90 days he had flown 6 hours and 30 minutes and 2 hours and 48 minutes in the previous month.

2.2 Weather information

The pilot explained that, on the day of the accident, the conditions were CAVOK, with an easterly wind of 8 kts, gusting to 15 kts.

2.3 Lessons learned

The pilot believed that he experienced a gust of wind on touchdown that brought the aircraft back into flight before stalling at low height. He believed that the presence of bumps on the runway may have contributed to the aircraft taking off again.

He explained that he was surprised and did not have time to react, by performing a go-around for example.

An excessive increase in the landing speed may have contributed to the aircraft taking off again.