What happened
A training mission involving an instructor and two pilots under supervision departed from Marseille-Marignane Airport. The flight proceeded to Sainte-Croix Lake, situated approximately 85 km northeast of Marseille, to perform several water scooping maneuvers. During the execution of a new scooping procedure, the aircraft approached the water surface with a high nose attitude. This maneuver led to the disintegration of the aircraft upon impact with the lake.
The wreckage of the aircraft descended to a depth of 31 meters near Les Salles-sur-Verdon. Following the accident, one pilot was recovered alive but sustained serious injuries, including severe hypothermia caused by the 6° C water temperature. The other two occupants of the aircraft were killed in the crash.
Findings
- The aircraft approached the water surface in a high nose attitude during a specific scooping procedure.
- The structural failure and subsequent disintegration occurred at the moment of landing on the lake.