Jodel D140C Mountain Ski Accident on the Grande Motte Glacier (F-BJQT)

Incident Overview and Flight Context On 27 February 2014 at 11:26 local time, a Jodel D140C “Mousquetaire” registered F-BJQT was involved in an accident while operating on the snowy alpine surface of the Grande Motte glacier in the French Alps. The flight was a local general aviation operation for personal convenience, specifically a training flight preparing for a mountain ski qualification. The aircraft was operated by a club and carried one person on board: the pilot-in-command, who was also the pilot flying. The pilot was injured, and the aircraft sustained heavy damage. ## Sequence of Events The pilot and a student arrived at the alpine surface for a ski qualification training flight. During their arrival reconnaissance, they observed two landing tracks of the same length and a takeoff track. They planned to land on the easternmost landing track, climb the slope, and then use the designated takeoff track. After a normal approach, they landed at the beginning of the intended landing track. However, the power application to climb the slope was delayed, and the aircraft stopped approximately 20 meters from the top of the alpine surface. The instructor decided to have the student exit the aircraft and take off alone to return to the top of the alpine surface and depart with the student. After the student helped turn the aircraft 90 degrees to the left, the instructor set the aircraft for takeoff. Instead of joining the planned takeoff track, the instructor aligned with the nearest parallel tracks to his own. During the takeoff roll at maximum engine power, the instructor felt a deceleration but, unable to stop the aircraft on the slope, continued the takeoff. Shortly after, the aircraft struck rocks and came to rest on its back. ## Environmental and Operational Factors Météo France estimated the weather conditions at the accident site as clear skies, light wind with a tendency from the south sector, a temperature of -9 °C, and 10 to 15 centimeters of fresh powdery snow that had fallen the previous evening. The alpine surface of the Grande Motte glacier is listed in the AIP France, with the landing area located at an altitude of 9,564 feet, described as a dome open to the northeast and southwest, with no specified dimensions. An amateur video film showed that the engine speed was stable at approximately 2,430 rpm throughout the takeoff roll. No deceleration was observed, and the maximum speed stabilized at about 80 km/h, whereas the required takeoff speed was 100 km/h. A Jodel 140 pilot who had landed and taken off on this alpine surface about an hour before the accident reported that the area was covered in fresh snow. He had taken off on the takeoff track multiple times without encountering any “slip” problems. The student explained that the depth of the fresh snow was 30 to 40 centimeters. ## Pilot Background and Analysis The instructor was familiar with the alpine surface, having used it on numerous occasions. He had begun his glacier instruction activities on 22 January 2014 and had been qualified as a mountain ski flight instructor since 1983. He had a total of 6,640 flight hours, including 2,000 hours on type and 49 hours in the previous month, all on type. He stated that he did not know why he turned immediately to rejoin the landing track, located a few meters to his left, when his action plan was to reach the takeoff track. He realized his “error” too late to stop the aircraft on the slope without damage and therefore decided to continue the takeoff. ## Findings and Safety Lessons When the aircraft on the takeoff roll reached the end of the landing track, it entered fresh, unrolled snow and could not accelerate to reach takeoff speed. Having detected the alignment on a landing track too late, the pilot decided to continue the takeoff to avoid damaging the aircraft by interrupting it. The accident was thus due to the use of a landing track that was too short for takeoff. The investigation did not determine the reasons for this use. The pilot’s late detection did not allow him to recover the situation safely. During takeoff on a snowy alpine surface, once the takeoff roll has begun, it is generally no longer possible to interrupt it safely due to the slope. This type of operation requires particular attention at all times, including during ground phases that may be considered less risky.