What happened
On the afternoon of the event, an aircraft operated by Air Affaires departed from Cannes at 16:45 local time, heading toward Nice. The flight crew intended to execute three low-level passes over the Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport as part of a local airshow. Following the successful completion of an initial low pass over the runway, the crew initiated a right-hand turn to position the plane for a second pass in the opposite direction.
During this maneuver, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet when the pilots lost control. The plane entered a steep dive and subsequently caught fire while still airborne. The aircraft crashed into the sea roughly 1.5 km southwest of the airport. The impact resulted in the destruction of the plane and two fatalities.
Findings
The investigation determined that the structural integrity of F-BKMF, a specific aircraft type, was compromised when the loads applied to the airframe during the tight turn exceeded the design limits of the wing unit. This resulted in a rupture near the wing root, leading to significant fuel leakage from the upper surface.
Under these high load factors, the aircraft entered a stall. The crew was unable to recover due to the combination of structural damage and the limited altitude available. Factors contributing to the attempt of such a demanding maneuver included the high-pressure environment of an air display, the need to maintain separation from other nearby aircraft, and reduced visibility during the low-altitude flight.