What happened
On 30 May 2020, a PITTS S2-A aerobatic biplane, registered F-GIIZ, was performing maneuvers over the Carcass and aerodrome. After receiving taxi clearance for aerobatic flight, the pilot took off from runway 10 and accelerated to approximately 100 knots. Following a sudden pull-up, the pilot initiated a nearly vertical climb.
As the aircraft ascended, the airspeed gradually decreased while the engine maintained a steady 2,700 rpm. Upon reaching an altitude of approximately 600 feet, the aircraft's speed approached zero. At this point, the plane tilted to the left and entered a steep nose-down attitude, resulting in a spin that lasted roughly six seconds. Despite the pilot's attempts to use the ailerons and throttle to recover, the aircraft collided with the ground near the edge of the paved runway, causing an explosion and fire. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The BEA examined wreckage, ground-based surveillance footage, and an onboard camera recording of the instrument panel. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's engine was functioning normally without any power loss or abnormal noise. While parts of the lower right aileron were initially missing, subsequent recovery of fragments showed deformations consistent with the impact rather than in-flight failure. The control linkages also showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the collision.
Video evidence from the control tower corroborated the sequence of events, showing the aircraft's vertical ascent followed by its rapid descent in a nose-down attitude. Witnesses, including air traffic controllers, noted that the pilot frequently performed such vertical climbs during his maneuvers.