History of the Flight
The pilot, accompanied by a passenger who was also a pilot, took off from runway 01 at Vichy Charmeil aerodrome. He climbed to a height of 1,350 ft, then carried out a U-turn and descended to a height of 300 ft to fly over the runway on the reciprocal QFU. He headed towards the end of the downwind leg for runway 01 while climbing to 400 ft. From this point, radar data shows the airplane making a smooth descent. A witness saw the airplane descending before losing sight of it, and later found the wreckage in a field.
Additional Information
Examination of Site and Wreckage
The accident site was located south-west of and approximately 0.7 NM from the threshold of runway 01 of Vichy Charmeil aerodrome. The airplane was found in a field. The approach flight path on a south-westerly heading passed abeam a group of trees bordering the field. Damage to the front section and debris distribution indicate a high-energy impact and a nose-down attitude at the time of collision with the ground. Parts found in and around the trees show that the loss of the right wing, propeller, starter ring gear, and propeller flange resulted from contact with vegetation. The battery and alternator switches were found in the OFF position. No sign of an incipient electrical fire was observed, suggesting that the on-board power supply may have been cut off just before an attempted landing, consistent with an emergency landing procedure. Examination of warning lights indicated they were extinguished before impact. The fuel valve was set to the main fuel tank, the left seat throttle control was at idle and bent, the richness control was at full rich, and the carburetor heat control was pushed (not on). No anomalies were found in flight controls that could explain a loss of control. Ruptures to aileron control cables were sudden failures likely from impact with vegetation or ground. No evidence of a fuel supply or ignition fault was found, though complete testing was not possible due to damage. The condition of the manifold filter could not be checked. Propeller damage showed no signs of engine torque before the airplane passed through trees and the propeller flange broke; the rupture was likely from impact with vegetation, with no torsion indicating engine torque at impact.
Pilot Information
The 77-year-old pilot held an airplane Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) with approximately 1,500 flight hours. He had a valid class 2 medical fitness certificate with a restriction since 2003 requiring the on-board presence of a second pilot with the aircraft type rating and prohibiting aerobatic flight. He also owned an amateur-built airplane with a restricted certificate of airworthiness. In 2023, he logged about two flight hours on club airplanes. The 72-year-old passenger-pilot in the right seat held a LAPL(A) pilot licence, a class 2 medical fitness certificate, and was qualified for the DR400. In 2023, he logged about 12 flight hours on club airplanes, including F-GUXO.
Statements
The president of the flying club indicated that the flight was part of a "Father Christmas" event. The plan was a pass over the runway so the pilot in the right seat, dressed as Father Christmas, could wave, then land and taxi back for distribution of presents. He stated that the wing tanks were almost full and the main tank was half full, with about 20 kg of presents aboard. He did not perform the pre-flight check; the pilot-in-command said he would handle it. An eyewitness reported seeing the airplane in a smooth descent from left to right "without any noise," flying low over trees before disappearing behind a hedge. He saw no smoke or flames and called emergency services.
Meteorological Information
At 15:00 local time, recorded conditions included wind from 310° at 9 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, scattered clouds at 1,400 ft, overcast at 3,200 ft, outside air temperature +2.7°C, dew point 0°C, humidity 85%, pressure 1016 hPa, and freezing level at 1,000 ft. SIGWX charts indicated a cloud layer of cumulus and stratocumulus with bases between 1,500 ft and 3,200 ft, moderate icing between 1,500 and 7,000 ft, and locally rain or snow showers. Although conditions were conducive to icing (carburetor, induction system), the investigation could not rule on the occurrence of such a phenomenon during the flight based solely on wreckage observations.
ATC Communications
At the time of the accident, the aerodrome was using the A/A frequency, but communications were recorded. Analysis revealed no elements likely to explain the accident. No messages indicated a problem on board. The pilot's last radio message stated his intention to fly over runway 19.
Conclusions
After carrying out a low pass over the facilities, the pilot headed towards the end of the downwind leg while climbing, most probably with a view to landing on runway 01. While outbound, it is highly likely that an unforeseen event, unexplained by the safety investigation, occurred. Given the flight path, the pitch attitude described by the eyewitness, and the on-board electrical power being set to off, it appears that the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing. During this maneuver, the airplane struck a group of trees and ended its run in a field.