Accident to the Tecnam P2002 registered F-HBDG on 15/03/2018 at Les Mureaux (78)

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

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Final Report on the Safety Investigation published in March 2020. As accurate as the translation may be, the original text in French is the work of reference.

1 - History of the flight

The pilot returned to Les Mureaux aerodrome from a local flight without any particular event. He indicated that, during the flare for unpaved runway 10R, at an estimated height of 1.5 m, a gust of wind from the right lifted the right wing and pushed the aircraft to the left. He added that while trying to bring the wings level again, a second gust of wind forced the aircraft to the ground. The right main and nose landing gears were torn off, and one of the two propeller blades was broken.

2 - Additional information

2.1 Pilot Information

The pilot held an LAPL (A)[1]  licence and had logged 216 flight hours.

2.2 Weather information

Satellite images indicated thunderstorm activity over the north of Paris and its inner suburbs. It could have caused significant wind variations as far as Les Mureaux at the time of the accident.

The pilot indicated that he had listened to the ATIS[2] of the Pontoise and Chavenay aerodromes located about 15 nm north of Les Mureaux[3], which had forecast winds from 200° at 8 to 12 knots. He said that after he had flown over the aerodrome, on the approach to runway 10, he estimated that he also had wind from 200° at 8 to 12 knots.

The estimated wind was a right crosswind with a tailwind component for runway 10. The pilot added that he chose runway 10 because it was used by the other aircraft.