What happened
On December 29, 2016, a Jodel D140, registration F-BOPG, departed from runway 33 at the Méribel Robert Merloz altiport for a joyride flight. The aircraft was operated by a local aero club. Shortly after the wheels left the ground, the pilot initiated a right-hand turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft's right wing struck two pedestrians located on a plateau approximately 120 meters beyond the runway threshold, outside the airport perimeter. The impact caused the pilot to hear a collision, but after verifying that the aircraft continued to respond normally, he returned to the altiport to land.
The pedestrians, a group consisting of two adults and one adolescent, were positioned at the edge of the plateau. One adult was crouched to take photographs of the adolescent. The individuals did not see the approaching aircraft and were unable to move out of the way. The strike resulted in one serious injury and one minor injury to the pedestrians, both of whom sustained head strikes.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft, the site, and the flight path. Physical inspection of the Jodel D140 revealed damage to the underside of the wing, including torn fabric and a partially torn outer attachment of the right flap. Video footage captured by a passenger during the accident confirmed that the engine was functioning normally. The footage showed the aircraft lifting off between 100 and 150 meters from the end of the runway and following a descending path at a 6% gradient as it crossed the threshold.
Investigators also reviewed video from a flight conducted by the same pilot earlier that morning. This footage revealed that the aircraft followed a different trajectory than the one described by the pilot and demonstrated low-altitude overflights of public installations—such as ski lifts and restaurants—at heights of less than 50 meters, often with steep bank angles exceeding 60 degrees.
Findings
- The accident was caused by the pilot's lack of control over the aircraft's trajectory during takeoff.
- The flight path taken during the accident did not align with the procedures described by the pilot.
- The investigation identified a pattern of risk-taking behavior, evidenced by the flight path and low-altitude maneuvers over populated areas observed in previous flights that day.