What happened
On April 4, 2008, a private Beechcraft D 55, registration N511TE, was performing a visual flight rules (VFR) trip from Biggin Hill, United Kingdom, to Brest, France. Following a successful outbound leg, the pilot planned a return route via Jersey. During the descent toward the French coast, the pilot relied on ATIS information recorded earlier in the afternoon, which indicated favorable visibility and scattered cloud layers.
While cruising at 3,000 feet, the pilot observed a cloud layer and decided to descend beneath it to maintain visual contact with the ground. However, rapid weather deterioration caused by maritime air masses had significantly reduced visibility. As the aircraft descended, the pilot encountered heavy fog with visibility dropping to between 400 and 800 meters. During this period, the aircraft struck the blades of two wind turbines located at the Lescoat site in Plouguin. The impact resulted in the left and right wingtips being severed. Despite the damage, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft and successfully completed a direct approach to land on runway 07R without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident and the pilot's decision-making process. Investigators examined the ATIS recordings used by the pilot, noting that the information reflected conditions from earlier in the day. While the Brest ATIS had previously reported good visibility, subsequent maritime incursions had brought fog and low stratus clouds to the area, which were not captured in the pilot's last consulted weather update. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight path and the presence of the wind turbines, which were documented on aeronautical charts.