What happened
On February 18, 2015, a Robin DR400, registration F-GFXX, departed from Saint-Rambert-d'Albon for a local flight. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and one passenger. After takeoff, the pilot climbed to 3,000 ft and headed toward the Massif Central.
During the flight, the aircraft entered a right-hand turn and climbed to 3,200 ft. While performing this maneuver at an altitude of approximately 200 ft above the terrain, the aircraft's altitude fluctuated, followed by a rapid climb to 3,800 ft and a sudden, steep descent with a course change of more than 90 degrees. As the aircraft emerged from a cloud layer in a steep dive, the pilot attempted a recovery maneuver. During this sequence, the aircraft struck the treetops at the summit of a mountain before colliding with the terrain approximately 500 meters further along the flight path. The impact resulted in two fatalities and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA investigation examined the aircraft's flight path, the pilot's experience, and the prevailing meteorological conditions. The pilot held a PPL(A) license with 350 total flight hours.
Meteorological analysis revealed a stratocumulus cloud layer between 2,500 ft and 4,500 ft, with fog patches clinging to the mountain peaks. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying low under a solid cloud layer and later observed it emerging from the clouds in a 45-degree nose-down attitude.
An examination of the wreckage showed that the engine had separated from the airframe upon impact with a rock, and the airframe was destroyed. Investigators found that the engine and fuel system were functioning normally prior to the accident, and there was remaining fuel in the tanks. Evidence from the cockpit canopy indicated the aircraft had struck a tree on its left side during the sequence of events.
Findings
- The pilot likely realized too late how close the aircraft was to the terrain due to the presence of fog patches obscuring the mountain peaks.
- The attempt to climb led the aircraft into the cloud layer, resulting in a loss of visual references.
- The aircraft's flight profile—characterized by a climbing turn—likely amplified the effects of spatial disorientation.
- While the pilot attempted a recovery maneuver upon regaining visual contact with the outside, the proximity to the terrain made avoiding the collision impossible.