What happened
On Sunday, March 9, 1997, at 18:10, a mid-air collision occurred within the traffic pattern at Montargis aerodrome. The first aircraft, a STAMPE SV 4 C registered F-BCQT, departed from runway 23 for a local flight, climbing to 1,500 feet QNH. The aircraft was not equipped with a radio.
Simultaneously, a Piper PA 28 (registration F-BUTJ) was approaching from Orléans Saint-Denis-del'Hôtel on a heading of 070°. Three minutes before reaching the vertical, the crew of the Piper PA 28 broadcasted an intention to perform a vertical air-to-signal maneuver for pattern integration at 1,500 feet via the automated information frequency. Immediately after this transmission, the instructor in the Piper PA 28 spotted the STAMPE SV 4 C at an 11 o'clock position. The instructor took control and attempted an evasive maneuver involving a right turn and a climb. However, the right wing of the Piper PA 28 and the upper right wing of the STAMPE SV 4 C collided.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot of the STAMPE SV 4 C did not see the Piper PA 28 prior to the impact. Investigators examined the equipment levels of both aircraft and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation focused on the communication gap between the two aircraft and the impact of lighting conditions on pilot visibility.