What happened
On June 17, 2023, an Issoire Aviation APM 30, registered F-HFIK, was conducting a local flight from Cuers - Pierrefeu aerodrome. The pilot, accompanied by two passengers, flew a route along the Mediterranean coast, passing near Saint-Tropez and Sainte-Maxim before returning inland toward Luc.
During the flight, radar data indicated that the aircraft's horizontal speed began to decrease in the seconds preceding the accident. At approximately 13:00, eyewitnesses observed the aircraft bank to the right, level its wings, and then bank sharply to the left. The aircraft then entered a near-vertical descent, following a path consistent with a left-hand spin. The aircraft struck trees in a forested area in the Pignans district, near the village of Gonfaron, and a post-impact fire ensued. All three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's flight path, the pilot's experience, and the mechanical condition of the aircraft. Investigators utilized radar data, eyewitness accounts, and surveillance camera footage to reconstruct the final moments of the flight.
Analysis of the transponder data revealed that the pilot had likely deliberately deselected the transmission of altitude information via the altitude encoder several minutes into the flight. This pattern of disabling altitude reporting had also been observed during previous segments of the same flight.
Examination of the wreckage was significantly hindered by the intensity of the post-impact fire. However, investigators were able to confirm that the flap control and yaw control channels were likely functional at the time of the accident. The engine and other electronic components were too heavily damaged by fire to allow for a detailed technical analysis. Medical examinations of the crew ruled out smoke inhalation or sudden incapacitation.