What happened
On February 12, 1999, at approximately 15:40 UTC, an Air France Airbus A320, registration F-GJVG, was performing a landing approach to Montpellier Méditerranée airport. The aircraft was cleared to descend to flight level 80. Simultaneously, a Grob G 103 glider, registration F-CGXB, was conducting local flight maneuvers near the Saint Martin de Londres airfield, climbing toward 8,600 feet over the Seranne mountains.
During the descent, the flight crew of the A320 observed the glider. While the crew managed to avoid a direct impact, the aircrafts collided in mid-air near Le Grenouillet, in the commune of Gorniès. Following the collision, the A32/A320 continued its approach and landed safely at Montpellier. One passenger on the Airbus sustained minor injuries (bruising) during the event.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the separation of the two aircraft and the visibility of the glider to the commercial flight crew. Investigators examined the flight paths of both aircraft, the meteorological conditions at the time, and the communication between the Air France crew and Montpellier Approach. The analysis included a review of the cockpit voice recordings, which captured the crew's immediate reaction to the near-miss and the subsequent collision. The investigation also looked into the integration of glider activity within the controlled airspace of the Montpellier Terminal Control Area (TMA).
Findings
- The collision occurred while the Airbus A320 was descending through the airspace occupied by the glider.
- The flight crew of the F-GJVG identified the glider and performed an evasive maneuver, but the collision still occurred.
- The glider was operating in a local flight pattern near the Seranne mountains, which placed it in the path of the arriving commercial traffic.
- The investigation noted the complexity of managing mixed-use airspace involving both high-speed commercial jets and low-speed gliders.