Incident Overview
On November 2, 2008, at approximately 17:15 UTC, a Robin DR 400-180 with registration F-GJZK crashed in the commune of Arpavon (26), France. The aircraft was operated by the Aéroclub d’Aix-Marseille and was on a visual flight rules (VFR) journey from Romans-sur-Isère to Aix-les-Milles. All four occupants, consisting of one pilot and three passengers, were killed in the accident.
Flight Progression and Search
The aircraft departed from runway 24 at Romans-sur-Isère at 16:33 UTC. Witnesses reported seeing the plane perform several passes between Saint-Marcellin and Saint-Jean-en-Royans before it disappeared behind terrain to the south. A distress phase was initiated at 22:04 UTC due to the aircraft's failure to arrive at its destination. The wreckage was located two days later, approximately two kilometers northeast of Arpavon, at an altitude of 950 meters on a slope rising to 1,042 meters.
Aircraft and Personnel Details
The aircraft, manufactured by Avions Pierre Robin, had a total airframe time of 8,762 hours. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A3A engine with 2,874 hours of operation. The pilot was a 25-year-old male holding a Private Pilot License (PPL) and worked as an air traffic controller. He had 151 total flight hours, including 51 on type. The front passenger was a 25-year-old former pilot, while the two rear passengers were non-pilots aged 31 and 21.
Meteorological Conditions
At the time of the accident, a depression centered over Bordeaux generated a line of thunderstorms moving northeast across the region. This system produced heavy rain, hail, lightning, and strong turbulence in the lower atmosphere. The pilot had checked weather forecasts earlier that day, noting an alert for unfavorable conditions in the southeast from mid-afternoon, but did not consult updates before departure.