What happened
On January 11, 2003, a Jodel DR 1050, registration F-BJJK, was conducting a local flight near Saint-Brieuc, France. After performing ground engine checks earlier in the day, the pilot departed the airfield at 15:52 UTC. During the flight, witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude with engine misfires and black smoke emitting from the engine.
As the aircraft progressed, it disappeared behind a grove of trees, followed by the sound of an impact. The wreckage was located against an embankment near a road in Plerneuf. The impact destroyed the cabin, and the pilot was killed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the engine's induction system and the meteorological conditions. Investigators examined the aircraft's air box and carburetor, discovering that the air box had been recently and improperly repainted without proper surface preparation.
Technical analysis revealed that the air box was a non-standard part, unknown to the manufacturer or the aircraft's maintenance provider. Crucially, the mechanism intended to control the air valve was held together by an improper tin solder, which lacks the necessary mechanical strength for aviation use. This defect, combined with heavy oxidation, left the air valve stuck in the