Piper PA 28-161 Cadet Accident at Abreschviller, France (F-GKBR)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence On January 3, 2000, at 12:58 UTC, a Piper PA 28-161 Cadet with registration F-GKBR departed from Sarrebourg-Buhl aerodrome on runway 22. The aircraft was operated by a local flying club and carried one pilot and three passengers. The pilot reported to Phalsbourg Approach that the flight was a local flight in the Abreschviller and Donon region. At 13:18 UTC, the pilot contacted Phalsbourg Approach again, stating he was lost in a fog bank near the Donon area and requested a heading. The controller, noting that radar was unavailable, assigned a transponder code and requested a brief transmission for a direction finder fix. The controller subsequently reported detecting the aircraft on a bearing of 180 to 195 degrees from Phalsbourg. At 13:20 UTC, the pilot stated he was completely lost. At 13:21 UTC, the controller informed the pilot that Strasbourg radar detected the aircraft at 283 degrees from Strasbourg, 16 nautical miles away. The pilot asked for a heading to return to Sarrebourg. The controller asked if the pilot could see outside, and the pilot replied that they were completely in the fog. The controller then asked if the pilot was qualified for instrument flight. At 13:22 UTC, the pilot stopped responding, and radar contact was lost. The emergency locator transmitter did not function. The wreckage was found on January 5, 2000, at approximately 16:00 UTC.