What happened
On the morning of October 8, 2011, a Rockwell SR2-T34 Turbo Thrush, registration F-GRIO, was engaged in aerial firefighting operations near Pouzolles, France. The aircraft, operated by an aerial work company, was part of a two-plane patrol tasked with suppressing a brush fire in the local garrigue.
Following a successful initial drop performed in an east-west direction, the pilot prepared for a second pass. To accommodate the presence of a coordinating helicopter on site, the pilot chose a different approach, entering the area with a crosswind component before turning into the wind to attack the fire. During this low-altitude turn, the aircraft began to sink. Despite applying full power, the pilot was unable to prevent the aircraft from striking trees at the base of a hill and impacting the ground. The aircraft overturned and subsequently caught fire. The pilot sustained slight injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the meteorological conditions, and the pilot's experience. While weather reports from nearby Pézenas indicated manageable conditions, the pilot reported wind speeds on site exceeding 25 knots. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's recent training history and the operational changes within the company. It was noted that while the pilot had significant total flight time, he had only 39 hours of experience on this specific turbine-powered model, all of which had been accumulated within the previous three months. Furthermore, the investigation found that regular weekly training sessions with local firefighters, which had been available in previous years, had been discontinued in 2011 due to a lack of funding.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's choice of flight path, which led to an uncontrolled descent during a low-altitude turn.
- The aircraft entered a zone of strong downdrafts (rabattants) while flying low on the leeward side of the terrain.
- The release of the water load occurred too late to allow the aircraft to recover altitude, as the aircraft likely stalled before or during the maneuver.
- Contributing factors included difficult aerological conditions and the pilot's limited experience with the specific performance characteristics of the turbine-powered aircraft compared to piston-engine models.
- The lack of recent specialized training in aerial firefighting operations also contributed to the event.