Accident to the Christen-A1 “HUSKY” registered F-GHXE on 27/09/2018 at Aleu mountain airstrip (Ariège)

Cat. 3 investigation report: report concerning an occurrence with limited consequences, based on one or more statements not independently validated by the BEA.

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Final Report on the Safety Investigation published in June 2021. 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 statements made by the pilot of the aeroplane and by pilots present on the airstrip. This information has not been independently validated by the BEA.

1 - HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

The pilot, recent owner of the aeroplane, began a day of flights accompanied by a non-pilot friend who regularly flew with him. He took off from Lézignan-Corbières aerodrome at 08:35, bound for Pamiers-Les Pujols aerodrome. On arrival, the pilot refuelled and took off again at 10:20 bound for Peyresourde-Balestas mountain airfield in order to perform some airfield circuits. He then headed to Bagnères-de-Luchon aerodrome where they had a lunch break between 12:30 and 14:30.
At the end of this stopover, the pilot took off with the goal of carrying out a reconnaissance of Aleu airstrip and landing there if he judged the conditions suitable for this. He specified that he had never landed there with the Husky. The pilot arrived overhead the facilities shortly before 15:00. He considered that the surface wind was light and decided to land.
The landing was normal. The pilot switched off the engine and warned the airstrip operator of his presence. This pause lasted about ten minutes before he took off again at about 15:30.
The pilot lined up, making sure that the left wingtip was at a sufficient distance from the bank and the vegetation bordering the runway and that the rear wheel was clear of the rocky area at the beginning of the airstrip.
The aeroplane was at this point positioned slightly to the left of the runway centreline, about 10° off-centre of the runway heading. Stopped, but judging that he was not aligned, the pilot increased the power and released the left brake in order to correct the alignment of the fuselage. The aeroplane began to run down the slope. The pilot believed that he would not be able to stop it, and increased the power to maximum to take off, without having managed to correct the misalignment.
The aeroplane headed to the left, veered off the runway after a take-off run of about 60 m, and then hit a tree. It nosed over onto its back approximately 120 m after the application of power.
The pilot was very shocked and had no memory after the accident. The passenger was slightly injured.

2 - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
2.1 Pilot information

The 70-year-old pilot, holder of a private pilot license PPL(A), had logged 1,077 flight hours, including 17 hours in the previous three months and 11 hours on type. He held SEP land, mountain wheel and ski ratings.
He had owned a Jodel D119 since 2008 and had purchased the Husky two weeks before the accident. The pilot stated that he had little experience with this aeroplane on mountain airstrips.
He believed that being used to the D119, which delivered moderate power, he was too quick in increasing power before he was lined up. The Husky had, in his opinion, different characteristics: the ability to accelerate and carry out short take-offs, but also considerable power and engine effects and less forward visibility than the D119.

2.2 Information about Aleu mountain airstrip (LF0921)

There is a bank to the east of the airstrip. Its presence is indicated in the field sheet published by the APPM.
The first part of the runway, in the direction of take-off, is very steep (20%).

2.3 Site and wreckage information

The aeroplane was lying on its back in dense vegetation. The tailplane was turned forward, indicating a substantial impact on the rear of the fuselage. The wings were deformed and the struts were bent and buckled. The left wing leading edge was marked by the vegetation which it had struck. The right landing gear was damaged. The propeller was destroyed. The continuity of the flight control linkages was established and no leakage of the braking system was detected.