What happened
On September 24, 2018, a Pottier P-180 S, registration F-PYPJ, was performing a local flight from the Chelles Le Pin aerodrome. During the return to the airfield, the aircraft struck the safety railing on the roof of a warehouse located near the approach path for runway 04. The impact caused the aircraft to pitch forward sharply, and it came to rest on a terrace several meters below the roof level. The pilot sustained injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The BEA examined the wreckage and the site, noting that the aircraft's main landing gear was torn away during the collision. Surveillance footage from the warehouse showed the aircraft maintaining a steady descent before striking the railing. Investigators found that the engine was producing low power at the time of the accident, consistent with a landing configuration, and no mechanical failures were identified.
Radio communications were analyzed, revealing that while the pilot's initial communications were clear, his tone became hesitant during the downwind leg. The pilot reported having no memory of the final moments of the flight. Additionally, investigators found an expired carbon monoxide detector on the dashboard; the chemical indicator had turned black, though its reliability was uncertain due to the expiration of the device, which had been installed over a year prior.
Findings
- The pilot was flying below the nominal approach path, leading to a collision with the building.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning was considered a possible contributing factor, as the pilot experienced a non-cardiac syncope (fainting) following medical surgery after the accident.
- The investigation could not formally confirm CO intoxication because the detector was expired, the exhaust system was not fully examined, and no blood tests were performed to check for CO levels.
- The pilot's flight frequency had been very low, with only one other flight performed in the ten months preceding the accident.