What happened
On June 8, 1999, during an international gliding competition based at Romorantin, a Centrair C10 1A glider, registration F-CHDV, crashed in the Sologne forest near Ménestreau-en-Villette. The pilot was participating in the Standard Class of the event, following a prescribed flight circuit.
During the second leg of the competition, the pilot chose a flight path toward the Lamotte-Beuvron airfield, approximately 12 kilometers away. This trajectory took the aircraft through a sector that was unfavorable for an emergency field landing. While navigating this area, the pilot likely encountered insufficient lift, leading to a significant loss of altitude. The aircraft eventually struck trees in a dense forest area, resulting in a nearly vertical impact and the destruction of the aircraft. The pilot was killed in the accident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's flight path, the meteorological conditions, and the wreckage analysis. Investigators examined the crash site, which consisted of flat, sandy terrain heavily wooded with trees reaching heights of 15 to 20 meters. Analysis of the wreckage showed that the impact was almost vertical. Evidence from the retractable landing gear suggested that the gear was retracted at the time of impact, indicating that the pilot had not prepared for a field landing.
Meteorological data from the Orléans station indicated overcast skies and relatively low temperatures, which contributed to weak thermal activity. While the pilot was an experienced flyer, the investigation looked into whether the competitive environment influenced the decision to fly at a low altitude in a high-risk area.
Findings
- The pilot made a tactical decision to fly at a low altitude in a sector that offered no suitable landing options if lift was lost.
- The competitive nature of the flight likely influenced the pilot's choice to pursue a path toward more favorable sunlight, despite the risk.
- The lack of sufficient rising air (thermals) caused the aircraft to lose altitude to a critical level.
- The aircraft was not equipped with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), which hindered the speed of the search operations in the dense forest.