What happened
During a morning training mission, a twin-engine aircraft departed from Moulins-Montbeugny Airport, bound for Clermont-Ferrand. The flight was being conducted to facilitate an IFR rating extension for the pilot in the left seat, with two pilots and two passengers on board. After completing a scheduled stop at Clermont-Ferrand, the crew began the return leg to Moulins.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Moulins, the crew notified air traffic control of their intention to perform various maneuvers near the airport for approximately 30 minutes and requested to leave the frequency. The flight proceeded with three touch-and-go operations on runway 26. While maintaining an altitude of roughly 2,000 feet, the aircraft experienced instability along its roll axis. This instability led to a sudden nose-down pitch, causing the plane to impact a wooded area known as Bois de Bordes, situated 7 km north of the airfield. The impact triggered a post-crash fire that completely destroyed the airframe. There were four fatalities in the accident.
Findings
During the flight maneuvers, the aircraft became unstable on its roll axis prior to the loss of control and subsequent impact.