What happened
On October 9, 2004, a private Piper PA-46 310 P (registration N20VP) was conducting a cross-country flight from Ostend, Belgium, to La Chassagne, France. The pilot, accompanied by three passengers, intended to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR) to Dijon-Longvic before transitioning to visual flight rules (VFR) for the final leg of the journey.
At approximately 14:07, the pilot contacted the Dijon-Longvic information service to initiate a VOR/DME approach for runway 18. During this communication, the air traffic controller informed the pilot of current weather conditions, noting rain, an overcast ceiling of 800 feet, and a reminder of the 3,300-foot safety altitude. Shortly after, at 14:12, the pilot reported transitioning to VFR flight and requested to close the flight plan.
By 14:15, an eyewitness observed the aircraft entering cloud cover at an altitude of approximately 1,700 feet. Shortly thereafter, reports of an aircraft crash were received near Mont Afrique. The wreckage of N20VP was located on the southeast flank of the mountain at an altitude of 1,840 feet. The impact left evidence of a slightly descending flight path with minimal bank angle.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's flight path and the pilot's decision-making regarding weather. Investigators examined the engine, which was found to be delivering power at the time of impact, and recovered two GPS units, though their data could not be retrieved.
An autopsy of the pilot revealed no medical anomalies that would have contributed to the accident. However, the investigation uncovered that the pilot's US-issued medical certificate had been obtained through a false declaration, as it omitted medical issues that had previously led to a finding of unfitness in Belgium. Additionally, the aircraft's registration had recently been changed from OO-RVP to N20VP.