What happened
On February 17, 2011, a Jodel D140 Mousquetaire, registration F-PLJP, was engaged in a flight instruction mission. The flight began at the Courchevel altiport, with the instructor and student pilot proceeding to the Méribel altiport to perform two landings. Following these maneuvers, the crew departed for the Grande Motte glacier.
After approximately 75 minutes of flight time, the instructor performed a reconnaissance of the landing area before proceeding to land on the glacier. During the landing roll, the aircraft's left main landing gear, which was equipped with skis, struck a snowdrift. The impact resulted in heavy damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances of the landing and the visibility of obstacles on the glacier. The instructor, who held a CPL(A) and mountain ratings for both wheels and skis, was familiar with the local area. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were excellent (CAVOK) with calm winds and a temperature of -12 °C.
Investigators examined the experience levels of the crew. The instructor was highly experienced with 1,933 total flight hours, including 1,200 hours on this specific type. The student pilot had 100 total flight hours but had no prior experience flying the Jodel D140 and had only one hour of flight time in the preceding three months.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to detect a snowdrift during the instructor's reconnaissance of the landing area.
- The instructor confirmed that the presence of the snowdrift was not identified during the initial approach and observation phase.