History of the Flight
The pilot planned a round trip cross-country flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) from Loudun to La Baule-Escoublac. After refueling, he departed Loudun at 10:55, climbed to 2,000 ft, and contacted Nantes Flight Information Service (FIS) to bypass Nantes via the south. At 11:20, he reported descending to 1,700 ft due to clouds and requested to transit at that altitude. Five minutes later, he confirmed his intention to enter the Nantes Control Traffic Region (CTR) via the south, but the FIS controller directed him to enter via point NE and transferred him to Nantes tower. He flew through the CTR north of Nantes at 2,000 ft. At 11:37, the tower controller instructed him to contact FIS on 130.275 MHz; he read back, left the CTR, and descended to 1,200 ft.
At 11:40, the pilot mistakenly checked in on the tower frequency (118.650 MHz) thinking he was contacting FIS. The controller noted he had re-contacted tower, and the pilot apologized and left the frequency. This was the last radio communication; altitude was 1,150 ft. Shortly after, the pilot altered course toward the Loire, and the aeroplane progressively lost altitude. At 11:42, the flight path showed a tight right-hand descending turn until radar contact was lost at 11:42:58. On-board computer data stopped seconds later. The wreckage was found in the Loire at around 17:00, near the last recorded position.
Additional Information
Site and Wreckage Examination
Only part of the debris was recovered, widely dispersed in tidal waters. The main wreckage lay in the Loire estuary near the north bank, level with Lavau-sur-Loire, at depths between 1.30 m and 4 m. Recovered items included the engine (without propeller), cockpit, seat parts, tail fin, rudder, left elevator, fuel tanks, control cables, and electrical cables. No evidence of contact with dry land was found.
The aeroplane struck the water with high energy, and damage indicated a steep nose-down attitude. Many parts were not found. Examinations of recovered parts showed no anomalies; flight controls were continuous at impact. The engine was disassembled; damage was attributable to impact and time in water. The carburettor could not be examined due to damage. Internal mechanical parts showed no lubrication problems or abnormal wear. Evidence of interaction between the starter ring gear and starter housing suggested the engine was likely operating at impact.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 71, held a Private Pilot Licence (A) with a Single Engine Piston (SEP) rating, obtained in 2011 by converting a pilot certificate from 1991. He completed a SEP revalidation flight on 17 June 2023 and held a Class 2 medical certificate. He had logged 592 total flight hours, including 500 as pilot-in-command, with 19 hours in the previous 12 months and 5 in the previous 3 months.
The instructor who revalidated his SEP also gave a refresher flight in March. He noted that blind navigation was not covered during these flights and that the pilot had not expressed interest in practicing it. To his knowledge, the pilot had no blind navigation training or experience. The instructor stated the pilot typically considered meteorological conditions when planning flights.
GNSS Data and Video Analysis
The DR400 was equipped with a GTN750Xi computer. The BEA desoldered the memory component and retrieved flight data. A time-lapse video from the Cordemais power station webcam, located six kilometers from the wreckage site, was also analyzed. The camera, fixed at an altitude of 735 ft, recorded images approximately every two minutes.
GNSS data showed the aeroplane entered the camera's field at 11:42:12, with the last point at 11:43:01. The camera recorded no images between 11:42:12 and 11:43:01. At 11:41:03, low stratus clouds concealed the Loire estuary below the camera's altitude. At 11:43:03, the stratus front had moved inland, characteristic of sea cloud. At that time, the aeroplane was likely overhead the wreckage site. An image 21 minutes later showed further reduction in visibility and ceiling. The end of the flight path was not visible due to camera distance and insufficient image rate.
Meteorological Conditions
Estimated conditions at the time of the accident: surface wind 320-360° at 4-6 kt; visibility >10 km, possibly dropping to 5-8 km in precipitation; overcast with cloud base 600-1,000 ft; cloud layer thickness about 2,300 ft; intermittent light showers of rain or drizzle; temperature 17-18°C; dew point 16-17°C; QNH 1018 hPa. From Cordemais images, Météo-France estimated ceiling at about 700 ft (altitude 850 ft) with light precipitation and visibility 4-6 km.
At 08:50, the pilot contacted Nantes Météo-France for weather. He planned a take-off around 09:30 and return in the late afternoon. The forecaster explained a gradually diminishing weather front with light precipitation, low stratus and stratocumulus, ceilings of 800 ft at Saint-Nazaire and Nantes, 300 ft at Poitiers, and visibility 5-8 km in precipitation. Improvement was forecast during the morning, and the forecaster advised waiting until midday or early afternoon for ceilings of 1,500-2,000 ft on the route.