2015 Robin DR400 accident in Colombier (F-GFXX)

Flight and crash sequence On 18 February 2015, a Robin DR400 registered F-GFXX departed Saint-Rambert-d'Albon for a local flight with a pilot and one passenger aboard. After about 18 minutes, the aircraft turned right and climbed to 3,200 ft. While turning at roughly 200 ft above the terrain, it climbed rapidly to 3,800 ft before descending sharply with a course change of more than 90°. The aircraft emerged from the clouds in a steep nose-down attitude; the pilot attempted a recovery, but the aircraft struck treetops on a mountain summit and collided with the ground about 500 m later. Both occupants died and the aircraft was destroyed. ## Weather and site findings Estimated conditions at the accident site included a north wind of 5–10 kt and stratocumulus between 2,500 and 4,500 ft. Nearby observations and a TEMSI chart indicated a broken stratocumulus layer extending from the Rhône Valley to the Massif Central, with cloud bases between 1,500 and 3,000 ft and tops between 3,500 and 4,500 ft. Witnesses reported low clouds clinging to the summits, fog patches, and poor visibility. The wreckage was found in four debris zones aligned northeast–southwest. The main wreckage showed fuel on board, a detached engine that struck a rock, and damage consistent with a left-side tree strike near the wing root before ground impact. No pre-accident engine or fuel-system failure was identified. ## Pilot experience and analysis The pilot held a PPL(A) and had 350 total flight hours, including 277 hours as pilot-in-command and 1 hour 40 minutes in the preceding three months. The logbook listed two flights in that period, but it was not possible to determine whether the pilot met the regulatory takeoff and landing requirements for carrying a passenger. The BEA analysis indicated that the pilot likely stopped climbing at 3,000 ft due to the cloud layer and may have been limited in attempting a turn back. In the right turn, fog on the summits may have delayed recognition of terrain proximity. Entering the clouds during the climb likely caused loss of outside visual references and amplified spatial disorientation. After emerging in a steep nose-down attitude, the pilot attempted a recovery and left turn, but terrain proximity prevented avoidance of the collision.