What happened
On August 27, 2006, at approximately 19:30, a Centrair 101 A glider, registration F-CHFV, struck terrain near the Blayeul ridge in the French Alps. The pilot had departed from the La Motte-du-Caire aerodrome earlier that day at 12:15 for a triangular flight circuit involving Barcelonnette and Puimoisson.
Around 19:10, the pilot left a voicemail for his flying club, reporting difficulties returning to the aerodrome. He indicated his position southeast of the Blayeul ridge and noted he would call later to confirm whether he intended to return to the airfield or perform a field landing in the nearby Marcoux area. When the pilot failed to return or check in, search and rescue organizations were alerted. The wreckage was located the following morning embedded in a tree on the eastern slope of the ridge at an altitude of 1,615 meters.
The investigation
Investigators recovered a flight data recorder, used for validating competition flights, from the wreckage. Analysis of this data allowed the investigators to reconstruct the aircraft's flight path. The investigation also examined local meteorological conditions and pilot history. At the time of the accident, winds were recorded at 320 degrees at 10 knots, with visibility exceeding 10 km.
Findings
Technical examination of the wreckage revealed that the airbrake and landing gear were in the retracted position at the time of impact. The investigation established that the primary cause of the accident was the pilot's persistence in continuing the flight despite facing difficulties.
Contributing factors included the presence of significant turbulence. Local pilots noted that the Blayeul ridge is subject to heavy turbulence when winds originate from the north or northwest; at the time of the accident, wind speeds were fluctuating between 10 and 15 knots. The investigation also noted the pilot's previous experience with a similar incident involving a power line strike one year prior.