What happened
On Saturday, March 1, 2003, at approximately 18:30, a Wassmer WA 54 "Atlantic", registration F-BXCH, crashed in the vicinity of Merlas, France. The aircraft departed from Etampes for a flight to Grenoble Le Versoud. During the flight, shortly after passing La Tour-du-Pin, the aircraft struck the tops of trees located in a hilly area. The impact caused the aircraft to tilt left, leading the wing to strike the ground and break. The aircraft continued its trajectory between two rows of trees before coming to rest upside down in a wooded area. The pilot sustained injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the accident site, noting that the aircraft struck trees between 1ered 15 and 22 meters in height while in horizontal flight. The engine was producing power at the time of impact, as evidenced by the deformation of the propeller blades. The cockpit remained intact, and the landing gear was retracted.
Regarding communications, the pilot had not established contact with any air traffic control or flight information services along the route. Because the transponder was set to standby, radar tracking from both military and civil authorities was not possible.
The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions. At the time of the accident, the region was under the influence of a cold front, resulting in low ceilings and rain. Specifically, at the accident site, the sky was covered by stratocumulus clouds at an altitude of 300 to 600 feet, with visibility between 3 and 5 kilometers.
Findings
- The pilot failed to adequately assess the deteriorating weather conditions both before and during the flight.
- An overconfidence in navigation was caused by the use of supplementary electronic navigation aids (a laptop-based GPS system).
- The pilot demonstrated a persistence in attempting to reach the destination despite the unfavorable conditions.
- The pilot's experience was limited, with only 54 total flight hours and very little time on this specific aircraft type.