What happened
On August 2, 2019, a Janus B glider, registration F-CFAJ, was participating in a flight training session organized by the Aéroclub de Saint-Rémy Les Alpilles. The flight, involving a pilot in the front seat and a passenger in the rear, was intended to explore the Queyras region. However, due to a lack of rising air, the crew was forced to terminate the flight and attempt an emergency landing at the Rosier safety area.
During the approach, the pilot in the rear seat took control of the aircraft to manage the landing. As the aircraft was still too high on the final approach, the pilot in the rear seat requested that the front occupant deploy the parachute-brake to increase drag. In a moment of confusion, the front occupant moved the control lever to the fully forward position, which accidentally deployed (jettisoned) the parachute-brake instead of merely deploying it.
In an attempt to clear a line of trees at the edge of the field, both occupants retracted the airbrakes and pulled back on the elevator. The glider struck the trees and overturned in a nearby river. Both occupants were trapped in the inverted aircraft as the cockpit began to fill with water; the front pilot managed to escape through the broken canopy, while the rear occupant was assisted by bystanders.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the crew's coordination and the mechanical operation of the parachute-brake. Investigators examined the cockpit layout and found that the pictogram indicating the "jettisoned" position of the brake lever was obscured by the front seat shell, making it difficult for the pilot to verify the lever's status.
The investigation also reviewed the crew's communication. While the flight was intended as a "mutual flight" (vol mutuel), the roles of commander and pilot were not explicitly defined before takeoff. The rear occupant, an instructor, acted as commander but remained passive until the landing phase, while the front occupant, who had limited experience with the Janus B, was unaware of the specific mechanics of the parachute-brake system.
Findings
- Lack of clear role definition: The crew did not explicitly establish who would act as the commander or how decisions would be made, leading to a breakdown in coordination during the landing.
- Inadequate briefing: There was no specific briefing regarding the presence or operation of the parachute-brake, and the front occupant had not been trained on its use.
- Mechanical visibility issues: The cockpit design prevented the pilot from seeing the "jettisoned" indicator on the control lever.
- Pilot passivity: The rear occupant's lack of active involvement during the approach prevented early intervention in the flight path.