What happened
On August 1, 2013, at approximately 17:00, a Schleicher ASK 13 glider, registration F-CEAT, was involved in a fatal accident near Col de Vars. The flight, which began at 14:27 from the Mont-Dauphin Saint-Crépin aerodrome, was a local flight carrying a pilot and one passenger. After roughly two and a half hours of flight time, the pilot began maneuvering at very low altitudes along the slopes of the Col de Vars. During a turn, the left wing of the aircraft struck the ground, leading to a loss of control and a subsequent collision with the terrain.
Footage captured by a camera held by the passenger documented the aircraft flying at extremely low altitudes over descending slopes and passing near hikers shortly before the impact. The accident resulted in one fatality (the passenger) and one injury (the pilot), and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the pilot's flight history, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Analysis of the wreckage revealed no mechanical malfunctions that contributed to the crash. Meteorological conditions at the site were characterized by a 12-knot wind from 220°, slope breezes, scattered cumulus clouds, and low to moderate turbulence.
The pilot, aged 55, had approximately 1,800 total glider flight hours, including 60 hours in the preceding three months and 10 hours on this specific aircraft type. The investigation also noted that the club's chief pilot had previously observed the pilot performing low-altitude passes and had formally addressed this dangerous behavior with him on two separate occasions.