Accident to the Cessna F172 registered F-HICD on 08/10/2023 at Enghein-Moisselles

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

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

1. History of the flight

The pilot, accompanied by two passengers, took off from Enghien-Moisselles aerodrome in the middle of the afternoon for a return flight to the Bay of the Somme, with a refuelling stop at Amiens. The cross-country flight went smoothly and the pilot returned to the departure aerodrome, flying overhead the field at an altitude of approximately 1,300 ft and then joining the circuit on the downwind leg for unpaved runway 25[1].

The pilot indicated that the final approach was stabilised, with a speed of 70-75 kt on a constant descent slope and with full flaps. After the flare, the aeroplane bounced a first time on the main landing gear and then a second time more violently before touching down on the nose gear which failed on impact.

The occupants evacuated the aeroplane unharmed.

2. Additional information

2.1 Meteorological information

The 18:30 (17:30 UTC) METAR for Paris-Le Bourget airport, situated at around 6 NM from Enghien-Moisselles aerodrome gave the following information:

METAR LFPB 081730Z AUTO 13003KT CAVOK 22/13 Q1024 NOSIG=

On 8 October at Paris, sunset was at 19:15 with an azimuth of around 260°.

2.2 Aircraft information

The aeroplane flight manual indicated that the final approach is normally carried out at speeds of between 56 and 65 kt when the flaps are extended.

2.3 Pilot’s statement

The 22-year-old pilot had obtained his Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) in January 2023. He had logged approximately 57 flight hours, all on the C152 or the F172 and around 4 hours in the previous 30 days when carrying out local flights, all on the C152 

He indicated that he had carefully prepared his flight which was his first cross-country flight without an instructor since obtaining his PPL.

He believed that the following factors may have contributed to the accident:

• an approach speed which he had increased out of habit and was too high for the light wind conditions;
• the stress and small amount of experience of a recently-licensed pilot carrying out his first long cross-country flight, and with passengers;
• a possible relaxing of attention at the end of a cross-country flight that had gone well, on arriving at the aerodrome with which he was familiar;
• being dazzled by the sun, which was on the runway axis at the time of landing.