History of the Flight
On 10 September 2021, a group excursion involving five aeroplanes departed from Nancy-Essey airport. Due to adverse meteorological conditions forecast on the route, two groups decided not to fly in the morning. The pilot of a Robin DR400-180 registered F-GTPV, accompanied by two passengers, took off at 12:15 local time bound for Étampes-Mondésir aerodrome. A second DR400-180 registered F-GORT took off two minutes later for the same destination with one passenger.
At around 12:35, both aeroplanes were near Neufchâteau. According to statements from persons on board F-GORT, weather conditions up to that point were correct despite a low ceiling, but conditions did not allow a westward heading towards Troyes and then Étampes.
At 12:42, the Seine Info air traffic controller informed the pilot of F-GTPV that military area R5A was active. The pilot replied that he was tracking between squalls and insisted on flying through due to bad weather, but the controller denied entry. The pilot then reported he would avoid the area by passing east and then south.
At 12:45, the controller asked the pilot of F-GTPV to contact Bâle Info. The aircraft was at about 2,200 ft altitude. At 12:50, the pilot of F-GORT flew through area R5A and later learned from the controller that he had entered an active military area.
Between 13:08 and 13:18, the pilot of F-GORT made large heading changes with altitude variations between 227 and 794 ft due to low ceiling and rain.
At 13:15, F-GTPV was about 10 NM northwest of Dijon-Darois aerodrome on a southerly path. The pilot informed the controller he was navigating by ground landmarks and trying to stay in visual flight conditions. Altitude was approximately 2,180 ft (height about 580 ft).
At 13:18, the controller informed the pilot of F-GORT that radar contact was lost; the pilot replied he was flying between clouds.
At 13:19, the pilot of F-GTPV announced a diversion to Dijon-Darois. The aircraft's altitude was about 2,300 ft (height about 500 ft). The flight path showed several large heading changes in the following minutes.
Between 13:25 and 13:27, F-GTPV was between 4.9 and 1.7 NM northwest of Dijon-Darois at about 2,200 ft altitude (height between 370 and 1,040 ft). The pilot then descended west of the aerodrome and made a final almost continuous turn towards the threshold of runway 02 for a short final approach.
Meteorological information indicated a disturbance at Dijon-Darois. The last valid GNSS position was recorded at 13:28:51, after which the emergency locator transmitter emitted an alert message. The approximate ground speed was around 125 km/h.
The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the aeroplane was destroyed.
Additional Information
The group excursion included participants from several flying clubs. There was no identified person in charge or formal joint briefing; each pilot was responsible for their own flight preparation. On the morning of the accident, participants analysed weather using SIGWX charts, TAFs, METARs, and applications. Some decided not to fly due to adverse conditions. The pilot of F-GTPV and another pilot on F-GORT decided to leave around midday. They anticipated encountering a second precipitation front and planned to navigate by ground landmarks.
Regulatory meteorological information for the flight time showed broken/overcast cloud layers with bases as low as 600 ft, visibility down to 1.5 km in rain showers, and isolated towering cumulus. Similar conditions were forecast along the route.