What happened
On September 12, 2013, a Socata MS 893 A Rallye, registration F-BPGC, departed from Gap aerodrome for a training session involving maneuverability exercises and demonstrations on various landing sites. The flight was being conducted by a pilot accompanied by an instructor.
During the session, the crew attempted a supervised landing exercise at the Valenty landing area. After an initial diversion to Clamensane due to weather concerns, the crew returned to Valenty to perform the maneuver. As the aircraft was too high on the approach, the crew performed an S-pattern maneuver to lose altitude. At approximately 300 feet, the instructor decided to abort the exercise and ordered a go-around.
Despite the pilot moving the throttle to full power, the engine remained at idle. The instructor attempted to adjust the throttle twice, but the power did not increase. The instructor took control of the aircraft and headed toward a plowed field. In an attempt to clear a telephone line, the instructor maneuvered closer to a pole to increase the vertical clearance. The left wing struck a cable and the pole, causing the aircraft to pivot violently before striking the ground.
The investigation
Technical examinations of the Lycoming O-360-A3A engine and the wreckage revealed no mechanical malfunctions capable of contributing to the accident. While the engine was providing low power at the moment of impact, the investigation could not determine why the engine failed to respond to the throttle advancement during the go-around.
Findings
- The engine failed to increase RPM following the pilot's attempt to apply full power.
- The decision to interrupt the exercise late in the approach meant the instructor could no longer utilize the intended landing area.
- The late interruption left the instructor with insufficient time to execute the necessary procedures associated with a loss of engine power and prevented the selection of an appropriate emergency landing site.