What happened
On December 6, 2015, a Piper PA2 8 aircraft, registration F-GFLZ, departed from Aix les Milles for a recreational flight toward Vinon. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted Marseille Info to request a lower altitude of 2,800 ft due to fog along the route. After navigating through the initial flight phase, the pilot reported at 10:41 local time that visibility had significantly degraded, stating he could not see clearly above or below 4,000 to 5,000 ft.
Following this report, the pilot initiated a turnaround toward the departure airfield. During the maneuvering, the aircraft performed a series of turns, including a 360-degree turn while losing altitude. The aircraft subsequently struck trees and the ground in the Luberon massif, resulting in one fatality and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA examined the aircraft's wreckage, the meteorological conditions, and the pilot's flight preparation. Technical inspections of the Piper PA28 revealed no mechanical malfunctions; the engine was producing power at the moment of impact. Meteorological analysis established that while the initial departure saw clear skies, the pilot encountered dense cloud layers and low visibility (only a few dozen meters) with light rain.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience and flight planning. The pilot held a PPL(A) with 342 total hours but did not hold an instrument rating. No flight preparation documents were found on board, and it was noted that no formal flight preparation had been conducted at the flight school prior to departure. Furthermore, the pilot did not contact the Vinon airfield club to verify weather conditions before departing.
Findings
- The pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions that were incompatible with Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
- The pilot likely entered a dense cloud layer while attempting to return to the departure airfield.
- Spatial disorientation occurred due to a lack of sufficient external visual references while flying in the clouds.
- There was insufficient consideration of the weather conditions during flight preparation and a delayed response to the deteriorating weather during the flight.