What happened
On the evening of July 4, 1999, a Marchetti S 205 - 20 R, registered F-GKHR, was conducting a cross-country flight from Vichy to Rouen. While crossing the Loire river, the pilot encountered weather conditions that deteriorated more severely than initially anticipated.
As the aircraft entered an area of heavy rain and thunderstorms, visibility dropped to between three and four kilometers, with a cloud ceiling of only 600 feet. Faced with the choice of diverting to Montargis, Nevers, or Pithiviers, the pilot ultimately decided to perform a precautionary landing. The pilot selected a straight section of the N20 national highway near Artenay, choosing a portion of the road that was free of traffic, and successfully landed the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the decision-making process and the meteorological conditions present at the time of the incident. The pilot, who had flown this specific route approximately twenty times, had reviewed the weather information prior to departure. However, at the time of the landing, the aircraft was operating within a thunderstorm front characterized by cumulonimbus clouds and heavy precipitation. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft sustained no damage during the landing on the roadway.