What happened
On Tuesday, June 11, 2002, at 15:15, an Urban Air Samba UFM 10 microlight, identified as 74-PG, was conducting a private flight from Bourg-en-Bresse to Annecy. The pilot had notified Annecy tower of his intention to fly to the Méribel-les-Allues altiport to perform a low-level flyover of the facilities before returning to Annecy.
During the approach to runway 15, witnesses observed the aircraft entering the circuit normally. The aircraft flew at a very low altitude, approximately ten meters above the ground, passing to the right of the runway with high engine power. Shortly thereafter, a witness—a flight instructor—heard a distress call on the self-announcement frequency and observed the aircraft disappear into the treetops located uphill from the altiport. Despite an immediate aerial search by the instructor, the aircraft could not be located. Emergency services discovered the wreckage approximately two hours later in a forested area on the upper part of the station.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight dynamics and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The terrain at the site of the crash featured a significant slope, increasing from an average of 7% to 14% between the end of the runway and the location of the wreckage.
Technical analysis revealed that the engine's available power was reduced by approximately 12 horsepower due to the high altitude and atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, the investigation determined that the aircraft's mass during the missed approach was at least five kilograms above the maximum allowable takeoff weight. While the pilot was experienced in flying over mountain airstrips without landing, this was his first time flying over the Méribel-les-Allues altiport.
Findings
- The accident resulted in two fatalities, including the pilot and one passenger.
- The primary cause of the accident was a late decision to execute a missed approach.
- The pilot failed to sufficiently account for the local environment and the specific performance limitations of the aircraft under the prevailing conditions.
- The aircraft was operating in a state of overweight during the maneuver.