What happened
On January 6, 1998, at approximately 18:00 local time, a Piper PA 28 – 161 Warrior 2, registration F-OGNJ, was conducting a local flight training mission departing from Kourou, French Guiana. The crew consisted of an instructor and a student pilot.
During the flight, which began around 17:30, the pilot observed a thunderstorm cell developing to the northeast of the airfield. Based on the prevailing wind direction, the instructor estimated that the airfield would remain clear for their return. However, a cumulonimbus cloud subsequently developed, obstructing the path back to the departure aerodrome. As sunset approached at 18:30, visibility decreased significantly due to low clouds and moderate to heavy rain showers. Faced with the prospect of a 45-minute flight to the nearest diversion airfield at Saint-Laurent du Maroni under increasingly difficult visual flight rules (VFR) conditions, the crew opted to perform a precautionary landing on a road located within the boundaries of the space center.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the decision-making process regarding weather avoidance and the flight path chosen by the crew. Investigators examined the meteorological conditions at the time of the incident, noting a wind of 050° at 20 to 25 knots and visibility of less than 5 km. The analysis also considered the flight experience of the crew, noting the instructor's significant flight time compared to the student's limited experience.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the erroneous assessment of the evolution of meteorological conditions.
- The crew's initial estimation that the airfield would remain clear proved incorrect as the storm cell expanded.
- There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft resulting from the landing.