What happened
On February 22, 2016, a Piper PA23 Aztec, registered N539EG, was performing a ferry flight from Saint-François to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. The flight was intended to return the aircraft to its base following a scheduled 100-hour maintenance inspection.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot retracted the landing gear and flaps before initiating a right turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft developed a significant nose-down tendency. The pilot attempted to use the electrical pitch trim control on the control column without success and searched for the manual pitch trim control but could not locate it. As the aircraft's altitude decreased, the pilot applied heavy pressure to the control column with both hands to counter the nose-down moment.
To avoid boats and buildings in the Saint-François bay, the pilot continued the turn, but the increasing aerodynamic loads eventually made the controls too heavy to maintain pitch. The aircraft struck the surface of the lagoon at approximately 180 kt, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft. The pilot was ejected from the cockpit along with the seat during the impact but was rescued from the water by a nearby pleasure boat.
The investigation
The BEA examined the wreckage, which was recovered from a depth of nine meters. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was intact upon impact and that the engines were producing power. The investigation focused on the configuration of the flight controls and the recent maintenance history.
Investigators found that the pitch trim control cables had recently been inspected as part of the maintenance program. While the mechanic did not explicitly recall returning the trim to a neutral "take-off" position, the investigation noted that the pilot's recent experience on this specific aircraft type was limited. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the electrical pitch trim system had been deactivated months prior due to an avionics installation, a fact the pilot had not been notified of.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the loss of control:
- The pilot performed an abbreviated pre-flight check, omitting a visual verification of the pitch trim position indicators on the overhead panel.
- The pilot did not utilize the paper checklist from the flight manual.
- The pitch trim was likely left in a nose-down position following the recent maintenance inspection of the control cables.
- The pilot was unaware that the electrical pitch trim control on the control column was inoperative.
- Time pressure to vacate the airport taxiway and meet a subsequent flight schedule influenced the rapid departure.
- The pilot's lack of recent experience with the PA23's specific overhead trim configuration contributed to the inability to find the manual backup control.