What happened
On the evening of October 28, 2011, a Piper PA31T, registered OE-FKG, was conducting a private IFR flight from Kassel, Germany, to Toulouse Blagnac Airport. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and three passengers.
During the ILS approach to runway 14R, the pilot was maintaining a high speed of approximately 230 knots. As the aircraft descended through 1,000 feet, the pilot began the landing configuration sequence, extending the landing gear and flaps to 40 degrees. During this phase, the pilot reported an unspecified problem to air traffic control. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft experienced a significant loss of airspeed and a sudden deviation to the right. The aircraft struck the ground near the runway threshold, leading to a post-impact fire. The four fatalities included the pilot and all three passengers.
The investigation
The BEA examined the wreckage, engine components, and radar data to reconstruct the flight path. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's engines and propellers, noting that while no mechanical failure could be definitively identified, the right engine was delivering less power than the left at the time of impact.
Flight path analysis revealed that the aircraft was flying a fast arrival that did not meet standard stabilization criteria. Radar and video evidence confirmed a rapid descent and a sharp bank angle just before impact. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's recent type rating renewal, which had been conducted primarily in IFR conditions, potentially limiting exposure to asymmetric flight handling exercises.
Findings
- An anomaly in the right engine caused thrust asymmetry during a critical phase of flight.
- The pilot's workload increased significantly due to the simultaneous management of the engine anomaly, the high-speed approach, and the transition to landing configuration.
- The extension of flaps to 40 degrees increased drag, causing the airspeed to drop below the manufacturer's recommended minimum of 113 knots and approaching the stall speed.
- The pilot likely experienced a fascination with the runway approach lights, which may have distracted from monitoring the decreasing airspeed.
- The type rating training for this complex high-performance aircraft was found to be potentially inadequate for managing asymmetric flight during the approach phase.