What happened
On May 19, 2003, a Fournier RF-6B 10 and performing a local instructional flight near Villeneuve-sur-Lot, France, crashed into a wooded area approximately 200 meters northeast of the runway. The aircraft, operated by a local flying club, was conducting a second training session for a student pilot. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude of approximately 500 feet on a south-to-north heading. The aircraft appeared to lose speed and enter a series of stalls before pitching downward into the trees. The impact occurred in two stages: the aircraft first struck the canopy of a tree roughly 20 meters high, then struck a second tree trunk near ground level. The collision resulted in two fatalities, involving both the instructor and the student pilot, and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the mechanical condition of the Fournier RF-6B 100, the flight parameters, and the fuel management procedures. Technical examination of the engine, a Continental O-200-A, revealed no internal mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the impact. The aircraft's weight and balance were within manufacturer limits, though the center of gravity was noted to be near the rear limit due to the physical size of the occupants. Investigators also examined the fuel logs, noting that the aircraft had flown for 2 hours and 58 minutes since its last refueling. While investigators considered the possibility of fuel exhaustion, they noted that the aircraft's fuel consumption during slow flight maneuvers is typically lower than the standard 22 l/h estimate, and a go-around attempt was heard by a witness. Autopsies of the crew showed no evidence of medical incapacitation.
Findings
- The investigation could not definitively establish a single cause, but several contributing factors were identified.
- The aircraft was performing stall maneuvers, which are part of the student's training syllabus.
- Inappropriate control inputs by the student pilot during a stall may have occurred, potentially involving contradictory movements on the flight controls that the instructor was unable to correct.
- The low altitude of approximately 500 feet left insufficient margin to recover the aircraft once control was lost.
- While fuel exhaustion was considered a possibility, the audible sound of a go-around attempt and the presence of broken branches suggest the engine may have still been producing power at the time of the initial impact.