Accident to the Issoire APM20 registered F-GRDA on 03/03/2023 at Clermont-Ferrand

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 statements made by the student pilot and his instructor, as well as on information provided by the Clermont-Ferrand airport controllers. This information has not been independently validated by
the BEA.

1. History of the flight

In coordination with his instructor, the student pilot prepared several cross-country flights from Clermont-Ferrand airport with a view to carrying them out solo. On the morning of the flight, the weather conditions were not suitable for a cross-country flight due to fog banks so the instructor suggested that the student pilot carry out a few runway circuits followed by a solo local flight.

At around 14:30, the student pilot and the instructor carried out a briefing, focusing in particular on the take-off and landing conditions with a crosswind component. Before the flight, the student pilot consulted the ATIS, which gave a wind of 9 kt
from 030°.

The airport's paved runway 26[1] is equipped with an ILS, which means that this runway is used when there is an inbound IFR, which was the case at the time of the accident.

At 15:22, the controller cleared the student pilot to taxi to holding point D2 of runway 26 and then to take off. The student pilot followed the controller's instructions, took off and carried out a first aerodrome circuit. On final, the controller reported a wind of 7 kt from 020°. The student pilot configured the aeroplane with the flaps in the second detent position. During the flare, he heard the stall warning but, thinking he was only a few centimetres from the ground, he continued with the landing. He explained that he had misjudged his height and felt the aircraft sink, touch the ground, then bounce back up and take off again. On second contact with the ground, the aeroplane swerved to the left and ran off the side of the runway: the nose gear broke and the aircraft came to rest on its nose.

The student pilot said that he had been ready for a crosswind for this flight. He had not identified that there was also
a tailwind.

2. Additional information

2.1 Student pilot information

The 50-year-old pilot did not hold any pilot licence. At the time of the accident, he had logged 36 flight hours in instruction including 30 hours on type. He had already carried out two supervised solo flights. He specified that he had never landed with a tailwind component.

2.2 Instructor information

The 79-year-old instructor held a private pilot licence obtained in 1964 along with an instructor rating obtained in 2012. He also flew microlights (fixed-wing and flex-wing) since 1984 and was a microlight instructor since 2009.

2.3 Meteorological information

The recorded meteorological conditions were:

METAR LFLC 031330Z AUTO 03006KT 340V110 9999 OVC035 07/M02 Q1021 NOSIG=

METAR LFLC 031400Z AUTO 04006KT 340V090 9999 BKN036 08/M01 Q1020 NOSIG=

METAR LFLC 031430Z AUTO 01006KT 320V050 9999 FEW036 08/M01 Q1020 NOSIG=

METAR LFLC 031500Z AUTO 02007KT 340V060 CAVOK 08/M01 Q1020 NOSIG=