Accident to the Tecnam P2002 registered F-GTFC on 08/08/2022 at Bellegarde

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Final Report on the Safety Investigation published in November 2022. As accurate as the translation may be, the original text in French is the work of reference (December 2022).

Note: the following information is principally based on statements made by the pilot and the instructor. This information has not been independently validated by the BEA.

1. History of the flight

The pilot under instruction, accompanied by an instructor, took off from Bellegarde-Vouvray aerodrome, for an instruction flight in slow flight and stalls. On returning from the exercise, the pilot flew over the aerodrome and joined the start of the right-hand downwind leg for paved runway 18. During the runway circuit, the aeroplane went through turbulence and uplifts and the pilot found himself above the final approach slope. At a height of approximately 150 ft, the pilot went around. After another runway circuit, on short final, the aeroplane climbed under the effect of a thermal lift. The pilot went around again. The instructor, noticing that his student was tired, took the controls, continued the go-around, and performed a low-height circuit to avoid the turbulence experienced previously during the downwind legs. During the flare, the aeroplane rose again under the effect of a thermal lift, which offset the aiming point. The indicated airspeed decreased, and the aeroplane slewed to the left. The instructor initiated a go-around before the aeroplane stalled on the right side. The right-wing tip touched the runway and according to the instructor and the pilot, the landing was hard. The nose wheel broke. The aeroplane veered off the runway and came to rest at the edge of it.

2. Additional information

The instructor held a CPL(A) commercial pilot licence and an FI(A) aeroplane instructor rating issued in September 2021. He had logged approximately 470 flight hours, 150 h of which were under instruction.

The pilot under instruction, who held a private pilot licence for aeroplanes (PPL(A)) valid until March 2011, and a-fixed-wing microlight pilot licence since 2015, had logged approximately
400 flight hours on aeroplanes and 250 h on microlights. He had been following a training course at the Bellegarde Vouvray aero club since the end of 2021 with a view to renewing his private pilot licence after a ten-year break.

The weather conditions at the aerodrome were as follows:

- CAVOK;
- north-easterly upper-level wind;
- wind from 180° at 3 to 5 kt in the lower levels and on the surface;
- temperature 30 °C;
- QNH 1019 hPa.

The instructor stated that upper-level north-easterly wind and southerly wind at the aerodrome generally cause turbulence and can give rise to wind shear. The decision to carry out a low-height circuit was taken to avoid turbulence, which was the case on this circuit. The instructor also indicated that the chosen aiming point was approximately ten metres before the displaced threshold of runway 18 for a touchdown at the threshold stripes.