Accident to the Robin R3000 - 140 registered F-GGJM on 01/04/2018 at Niort - Marais Poitevin (79)

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

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

1 - History of the flight

Having taken off from Pons-Avy aerodrome (in the Charente-Maritime) and after a cross-country flight of around one hour, the pilot checked in on the Niort aerodrome A/A frequency for a full stop landing. He said that he directly joined the left-hand downwind leg for paved runway 25 without flying vertically over the aerodrome. He specified that he was not aware of the direction or strength of the wind. On the same frequency, the pilot of a Pilatus checked in at the end of a parachute drop overhead Niort. After coordination between the two pilots, they agreed that the Pilatus would land first on unpaved runway 25. Once established on final approach, the pilot checked that the Pilatus and the parachutists had all landed and continued his approach. At this point, with the wind coming from the right, he “turned the nose rightwards”. Shortly before touchdown, the aeroplane’s nose passed to the left side of the runway centreline. After touchdown, when he started braking, the aeroplane suddenly veered to the left without him being able to bring it back onto the runway centreline. He remembered having momentarily increased power without this modifying the path. The aeroplane continued its run and entered a recently ploughed and muddy field. The nose landing gear broke and the aeroplane came to a halt on its nose.

2 - Additional information

2.1 Niort-Marais-Poitevin aerodrome

Niort-Marais-Poitevin aerodrome has two parallel runways orientated 07/25: paved runway 25 has a landing distance available of 1,632 m while the unpaved runway has a landing distance available of 680 m.

2.2 Pilot information

The day of the accident, the pilot, holder of a Private Pilot Licence (aeroplane) since June 2015 had logged 145 flight hours of which 97 hours on type and 3 in the previous three months.