What happened
On 30 January 2023, a Cessna 150K, registration F-HPRE, was conducting a cross-country flight from Pontoise – Cormeilles-en-Vexin to Amiens-Glisy. The flight was being conducted under special VFR conditions for the purpose of completing an engine run-in following a recent overhaul. The crew consisted of a pilot and an instructor.
As the aircraft progressed toward its destination, the crew encountered deteriorating weather. While flying near the edge of a cloud layer, the aircraft's altitude decreased due to rising terrain. During this period, the instructor requested a climb to maintain safety. Shortly after, the aircraft collided with a high-voltage power line at an altitude of approximately 150 feet. The impact caused the main landing gear to be torn from the fuselage and damaged the horizontal stabilizer.
Following the collision, the instructor took control of the aircraft and climbed through the clouds to regain visual references. The crew eventually reached Beauvais – Tillé airport, where the instructor performed an emergency landing on the secondary runway using only the nose landing gear.
The investigation
The BEA examined the flight preparation, meteorological conditions, and the crew's actions. The investigation established that the aircraft was flying at an altitude significantly below the required minimums for the area. The investigators also reviewed the engine maintenance records, noting that the flight was part of a mandatory run-in procedure following an engine overhaul.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the collision with the power line:
- The decision to proceed with a VFR flight in weather conditions that were not suitable for such operations.
- A failure to establish a minimum safe altitude during flight preparation.
- Inadequate lookout, which prevented the crew from noticing the decreasing altitude relative to the terrain.
- The decision to perform an engine run-in flight in marginal weather, which necessitated a much higher level of vigilance.
- Mutual overconfidence between the pilot and the instructor regarding the aircraft's ability to navigate the terrain and weather.